Hail Friendship!
by Darkpetal16
Summary: The cycle of rebirth is a heavy burden for one soul to bear, but perhaps one does not need to carry it alone. Self-Insert OC SI/OC
1. Kiyomi

**THIS WILL BE MY ONLY AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE BEGINNING OF ALL CHAPTERS, SO PLEASE READ.**

 _ **Please**_ **read this explanation before reading the first chapter. Please, please.** The first chapter is kept **intentionally vague** as I tried to set up / condense the background in one chapter. This has resulted a time-skipped filled chapter where I will only do a handful of scenes per year. Summarizing about 15 years in 50 pages, essentially. This is **not my normal** writing style, and I prefer proper fleshed out chapters, but I feel that this is necessary since very little _actual_ events happen in the first fifteen years.

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This chapter is **entirely** pre-canon, and the next chapter will **begin at the academy exams.** Each chapter after this chapter will be properly fleshed out, detailed, and as non-brief as I can make it.

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 **In regards to ROMANCE:** I have already decided upon one pairing for my OC. Romance is not the main focus of this story (hail friendship, and true companionship), so it will take a back burner like it does in the manga. That being said, I am a firm believer that most teenagers in general are not asexual, and sex drives are a thing. Hormones are a thing. I will not shy away from this (but I will not write out lemons, or limes in this story), so if physical attraction makes you uncomfortable, this story may not be for you. In addition, the OC is pansexual.

 **In regards to TRIGGERS:** As someone with PTSD, I understand the value of having trigger warnings at the beginning of chapters. I do not initially foresee my writings requiring such a thing, but given the violence of the manga and some of the characters, it _is_ a possibility that I cannot out handedly dismiss. I wish to keep everyone as in character as possible, only taking them out of canon character if I believe my OC has affected them enough to do so. If there are possible triggers in a chapter, **I will post the warnings at the beginning of the chapters in bold and underline.**

 **In regards to CANON going AU:** In all my stories I have been learning to use the butterfly effect to the best of my ability. I hope to eventually deviate enough from canon to go into AU, but it will be hard because the manga is not complete, so I do not know how to foreshadow certain events. There may end up being something so huge and climatic in the manga that is unavoidable from what I have written so far, that we hop back into canon territory.

 **This is a feel good story first.** This is the kind of story I want people to read when they are having a bad day, or feel upset, that they can read this and cheer up. There will be some angst, and some sadness, but overall I want to leave _you_ with a happy feeling at the end of every chapter. We all love and cherish this story, and these characters, and I think we all want them to be happy (and occasionally see them sad, because we all feel sad at times and it's nice to know that we're not alone in feeling that way).

 **The cover:** The cover was drawn by my dear friend, Cantrona (deviantART). Link to the full size of the cover will be on my profile, as well as her deviantART account.

 **Disclaimer:** I, Darkpetal16, do not own My Hero Academia, nor do I claim to. This story is written purely because I love the adventure written so far, and I hope to contribute to the fandom.

 **Warning:** All warnings are addressed above. This story does deal with the idea of reincarnation, so it starts off a little sad, but it gets happy. Promise. :)

 **Summary:** The cycle of rebirth is a heavy burden for one soul to bear, but perhaps one does not need to carry it alone. Self-Insert OC SI/OC

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 **Prologue**

She was born carrying her mother's regrets.

She was born carrying her mother's fears.

She was born carrying her mother's mistakes.

Her story does not last long.

She does not last long.

It begins when she was born into the world, and it ends less than three years into her brief life.

And then that is when my story begins.

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 **Age 1**

She was placed on the steps of her grandparents.

Her mother could not provide her with love, so her mother left her with those that could. There was no identification left with her, nor any note. When the elderly couple awoke at dawn, as they did every day to begin to tend to their farm, they found the crying baby at their doorstep.

When they saw her pale pink hair, they knew who she belonged to, and they brought her in.

Her mind was not developed by that point to retain much.

She remembered feeling safe.

She was loved.

She was cherished.

She was confused.

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 **Age 2**

Things were easier to understand, but something seemed off in her world. She did not feel like she belonged, and at times the small toddler felt an overwhelming sense of failure. She didn't, couldn't, understand what she felt at the time. All she knew was that her chest ached, and her eyes burned from the tears she could not hold back.

Her Baba and her Papa showered her with love and kisses, but it was not enough to ease the ache she felt.

She had failed.

At what?

She did not know.

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 **Age 2 ¾**

It was such a simple thing.

She had injuries before.

Each kissed and cared for before she could even bat an eye.

She had seen cuts and bruises on her Baba and Papa after they worked the farm. She had seen them doctor everything up without any issue.

It was such a _simple thing_.

But it triggered _everything_.

She sat outside on the porch, basking in the sunlight. Her Papa had installed gates around the porch, so she could sit outside without wandering off. They were tall, and smooth to the touch, and sometimes she tried to gnaw on them when her mouth throbbed painfully.

Under the sunlight, she often grew drowsy and would curl up in the bed they brought out for her, underneath a little canopy to keep out bugs and amidst a plethora of stuffed toys. When she awoke, she was back inside and Baba would make her another slimy meal.

That day should have been like any other day.

It started off like any other day.

But then there was the a shout, and while she could not see anything over her fence, she knew it was her Baba.

She heard her Papa say something, even if she did not understand what he said.

Then Baba came up to the porch, and red, red—red—red— _redredred—_

She screamed and clutched at her head as memories flooded through her.

Her failures clawed at her.

Her mistakes ate at her.

Her deaths ripped her apart.

She could no longer play the role of an innocent child.

I could never claim to be innocent.

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 **Age 3**

I was alive, again.

A different face. A different family. A different gender. A different _life_.

Again, and again, I was alive.

They called me Kiyomi this life.

I had her memories intermingled with my own, even if they were not fully incorporated. The human mind was not developed by the age of three, and by no means was it possible to hold perfect clarity of many lives stuffed into one. I only knew I was reborn, and I only knew it was because I failed again.

In time, my memories of my past life would regress and fade away into faint flashes and ambiguous dreams. It wasn't often that I remembered anything from my past lives when I was reborn, but it happened often enough that I knew what to expect.

I couldn't remember how it all started—who I was in my very first life. I couldn't remember if there was a specific reason for it.

All I knew was that I had never met another in my place.

And that, eventually, I would _always_ wake up.

Maybe there was no reason to it.

Maybe I was just the unlucky soul that kept slipping through the cogs of time.

It wouldn't surprise me.

I didn't _know_ anything. All I could do was guess and theorize. No higher being talked to me; no mysterious message sent to me.

I died.

And eventually I woke up.

My too-tiny hands clutched at the bundle of curly pink hair, tugging on it. Another migraine was about to encroach upon me, and I dreaded it. I would be dealing with the headaches for many years to come as my current life's brain was forced to rapidly build the neurons and dendrites and other _fun things_ in order to deal with all of my past lives. After a while, when the memories started to fade away, so would the head aches (I remember in one life, the ordeal caused an aneurysm which ended my life abruptly there). Until that point, though, I had to deal with one of the single most painful things in existence.

The body began to cry uncontrollably, as the toddler hormones raged throughout me.

Baba picked me up from my crib and began to soothe me, her own pink (slowly fading into white) hair pulled up in a tight bun, and her wrinkles crinkling into a smile while she cooed.

At least I was loved.

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 **Age 3 ½**

I awoke to a pain unlike I had encountered before.

My chest felt like a sledgehammer was pounding on it from the inside out. Knowing that something was deeply wrong, I began to cry out for help. Baba and Papa rushed in to help me, and by the time they reached me, I was starting to have difficulty breathing. I clutched at my chest, gasping for air.

Baba let out a startled shriek, picking me up from the crib and beginning to rush us to their old car.

Papa was frantically looking around for the keys, and it took him a solid three minutes to find them.

By that point, the pain had intensified to scorching claws tearing at my heart. My breathing stopped, and then a bright light filled the entire room. It felt like my chest was _literally_ being ripped open.

When the light faded, a small white stick (no bigger than my tiny hand) laid on my chest. The pain faded away, and my breathing returned to normal.

Baba and Papa stared in disbelief, before they began laughing and crying. They kissed me.

"Oh, Kiyomi-chan," Baba sighed with relief, nuzzling me and holding the stick up so I could see. "Your Quirk must have awoken. You had us so scared!"

"I wonder what Quirk that is," Papa mumbled, examining the piece of white wood. "Must be from her father, whoever that may be."

Baba nodded, and I continued to stare at the two in dumbfoundment. Then she smiled and kissed my cheek. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely Quirk. Who knows, you might even be able to become a hero, like that All Might boy."

What?

 _What?_

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 **Age 4**

It was the first time that I could ever remember that I had been into a world I thought _fictional_. That was _literally_ a story told from my immediate previous life.

(Not that I had a lot of past life memories by that point, as most had regressed)

After my Quirk had awoken, I had done my best to pester my Baba and Papa about absolutely _everything_ about heroes and Quirks.

I knew I had been reborn into the same world as the hero All Might from My Hero Academia.

I knew that most of the world developed Quirks by the age of six.

I knew the history of heroes and villains lined up with what I remembered from the manga. Even U.A. was an actual honest to goodness school in that world. In fact, it was as renowned and infamous as the manga portrayed it to be.

I didn't know _when_ I was reborn in proportion to the manga storyline, though.

Something that would likely have to be rectified.

For all I knew, maybe I was supposed to do something about that story. Maybe I was supposed to become a hero? Maybe if I did something drastic enough, if I changed enough of the story, it would set me free from the cycle of reincarnation? Maybe?

I wasn't sure, but it was all I had going for me at the moment.

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"I understand," the strange man mumbled.

He had come to our home in the middle of the day, dressed in dark robes. He spoke with a heavy English accent, and most of his face was obscured by the shadows of his hood. He had an old, gravely voice, though, and was taller than anyone I had ever seen.

He had introduced himself as Gernaldo, Deputy Headmaster of the School of Magi. He had said that all those with the Magi Quirks were registered throughout the world (though more than 97% of the Quirk users originated in Europe or North America), and that the Quirk was common enough that it had its own school. He said that it would be highly advisable for me to attend.

I did not want to.

Baba and Papa especially did not want me to.

We all said as such, and the man was quiet for a moment before nodding and saying he understood.

He then reached into his robe and pulled out a small pamphlet. "There are, ah, necessities you should be aware of, then. Those with the Magi Quirk are dependent upon their wands; without their wands they cannot use any abilities. Wands can only perform so many abilities before they must recharge, and this can take up to weeks. Your granddaughter will likely develop one of the following as her first ability: teleportation, or shapeshifting into an animal. Her second, and likely final, ability will not develop until puberty, at least.

"I would highly advise seeking me out in that case, as each being born with the Magi Quirk develops different second abilities, and some of them can be dangerous if incorrectly trained. In this pamphlet you will find many answers to raising a child of Magi Quirk, as well as my numbers, and emergency contacts. You are welcome to revoke your decision on her education at any point in time, as the school accepts students of all ages, regardless of their situation."

Baba shifted me in her lap. "I see. Thank you, sir."

The elderly man seemed to smile at us. "Don't be afraid to call."

"Okay," I said nervously.

Gernaldo eyed me for a long moment, before offering a small smile. "Please do take care of yourself, Kiyomi-chan. Your wand is… especially important."

It would be over a decade before I talked to him again.

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I could teleport.

I could not teleport far.

I could not teleport anyone with me.

Not yet.

My wand drained quickly, and it was such an odd sensation. It was like I had a definite percentage of my wand's power constantly in the back of my mind. 50%, 35%, 7%, etc. Teleporting took about 30% of my power, and it took an entire day of recharging in order to regain what was lost (in order to recharge my wand, I had to return it to my heart; the sensation was like slipping on a slipper—the wand being the foot, and my heart being the slipper—entirely painless, but weird to feel with my heart).

According to the pamphlet, as I matured, so would my wand, and repeated uses steadily increased its overall max power. With nothing to lose, I spent a large portion of my days teleporting everywhere I could, and then recharging all next day.

I wanted to travel far.

I wanted to know when exactly I was.

The best way I could think to do so, would be to teleport to the beach that Izuku cleaned up in order to receive One For All. I remembered the setting well enough, that I felt that if I had enough power I could go there.

So I "trained."

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 **Age 5**

I felt ready to test how far I could go. The feeling was difficult to describe—suffice to say it felt like my wand was urging me test it. The small thing burned where it laid on my chest (Baba fashioned it into a makeshift necklace, so it hung over my heart). It needed to stay near my heart, because if it ever grew low on energy, or if I needed to hide it, I could withdraw it back inside my heart with a simple urge.

How the science of that worked was beyond me, but many Quirks defied science, or at least the science _I_ knew.

When the sun had set long ago, and Baba and Papa had taken to bed, I sat on our roof and prepared myself.

I intended to go to the beach I remembered with near perfect clarity. If I could successfully go to that beach, and it was covered in trash, I knew it was before All Might had accepted Izuku as his successor. I would make semi-frequent trips to the beach to check how far in the timeline I was.

As I began to envision where I wanted to go, my wand swelled with energy. The moment I released that energy to teleport myself, another traitorous thought popped in my head.

Of a little boy who began his brutal training at the mere age of five.

The image of him appeared in my mind, and I felt an uncomfortable sensation settle over me.

My energy— _magic_ , if I was feeling particularly optimistic—released, and away I went.

The actual act of teleporting created no odd sensations. One moment I was in one place, and the next I was someplace else.

I did not arrive at a beach.

Surprise fluttered inside of me, until I realized I had teleported to _someone else's bedroom._

I didn't recognize anything around me. It was a traditionally styled japanese room, with tatami mats, a handful of action figures scattered atop rows of bookshelves (that were each filled with difficult-looking textbooks), and pictures of landscapes. Unease filled me, along with mortification that I had essentially invaded someone's home.

I was about to leave, when I noticed the most important thing.

I could hear the soft whimpers of someone crying.

' _No._ '

' _Surely, I did not…?_ '

Gentle moonlight filled the room through the open window, enough light that I could scarcely make out a small lump atop the covers of a small bed.

My heart immediately went out to the crying boy, and I was torn between my desire to leave, and my overwhelming urge to help him.

The split feeling only lasted a second before I shook my head, and made my way over to the boy. He kept his eyes screwed shut, occasionally turning his head into the pillow, and he paid me no heed.

I laid down beside the boy, taking one of his hands in my own, and using my other hand to wipe away the tears. It was heart-wrenching to comfort him, and to only be able to comfort him. For reasons entirely unknown to me, I was immediately moved and deeply affected by what I saw and heard. My previous lives had left me relatively jaded (though as the memories faded away, the optimism that Baba and Papa hoped to instill in me seemed to slowly take root), so the fact that I was so drastically touched by that boy was deeply surprising.

I wished I had the strength to confront the one who made him cry. I wished I was strong to protect what innocence he had left. I wished, more than anything, that I could take him away, far away.

I couldn't do any of that, though.

I was a child.

And my wand would not permit me to take strangers away.

It was… bitter.

The feelings of uselessness gnawed inside of me, like a vicious animal.

How anyone could affect me in such a way was unexpected.

I knew I had grown fond of him from my past life—fond of many of them, in fact—but so much that _his face_ became my new focus point for teleporting, and that hearing him be upset made my heart twist and knot in such a painful way it left me breathless? _Unthinkable_ prior to this life.

As his sniffling stopped, and he started to look up at my curiously, I couldn't repress my feeling of guilt, and pain I felt for him.

"Who are you?" he whispered, his voice cracking like firewood.

My gaze drifted to where our hands were, and I squeezed his gently. Words tumbled out of me against my will. "I'm sorry for intruding, but now I must ask your permission to intrude again."

He watched me, his brow furrowed.

I raised his hands and placed them over my heart. "My name is Kiyomi. I wish to take away your pain."

"You can't—"

"Not now," I admitted, swallowing the rest of my words like a bitter pill. "But I want to try. I want to be your friend."

"I don't—I mean—okay."

"May I come back here in a few nights?"

"My—father doesn't allow me to—"

"He doesn't have to know. I won't force your permission, but I really want to help you."

The boy hesitated.

Then he gave a tiny smile. "Okay."

Despite my heart breaking at that sad smile, I smiled back in return.

' _Maybe this was what I was meant to do._ '

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When I returned to him, to Shōto, he seemed surprised to see me.

I appeared in his room, late at night, only to find him drying his eyes again. He noticed me right away, and let out a quiet gasp. I smiled at him, giving him a bow. "Hello. How do you feel?"

"I— _you're real_?"

That threw me for a loop for a heartbeat, until I processed what he said.

' _I suppose a complete stranger appearing in your room in the middle of the night, only to comfort you and leave would seem more like a fairytale dream than reality._ '

Scratching my right cheek in sheepish embarrassment, I said, " Uh, yeah. I, ah, I'm sorry if I'm intruding. If you don't want me here I, ah, can leave—"

"No," Shōto whispered quickly, then glanced towards his bedroom door. He got up from his bed and poked my cheek. "You're really real."

I took his hand, giving it a squeeze before letting go. "I am. And I want to help you."

"Help me?"

"I want to—to make sure you're okay," I admitted softly, my brow furrowed. How could I explain it? I was affectionate towards all those I had once considered characters. Like many, I had fallen underneath their enrapturing tale, and I wished for each for them to receive their happy endings, so to speak. Each of them seemed precious, and I was compelled to—to—well, to protect their happiness.

As cheesy and ridiculous as it sounded.

It was the first time in far too long that I was actually motivated to do something… something _optimistic_.

After outliving everyone you ever came to love over and over and _over_ —

It got so, _so_ damn tiring.

There were lifetimes that I didn't want to deal with anyone. I didn't want to love. I didn't want to feel. I wanted things to end as quickly as possible, or I wanted to be closed off from humanity to try and recover from my last life.

Even when I stopped remembering my reincarnations as I aged in a lifetime, those feelings of failure, or grief, would sometimes _never_ leave me. I would be haunted by something I couldn't comprehend, and nothing seemed to be able to shake me from it.

So to be able to have a goal—something _achievable_ and _happy_ and _positive_ —in my life… it was warming. It made my heart flutter, and I was, dare I say it, _hopeful_.

I was hopeful I could make a difference in a positive manner.

( **And hope was a powerful, wonderful, and intoxicating thing to the desperate**.)

There before me was one of those very smiles I wanted to protect.

I cleared my throat. "I want to protect your smile."

Shōto tilted his head, his brow furrowed. "I don't entirely understand, but… you're welcome to stay. Father can't see you, though."

"I'll come every few nights," I promised. "We can do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?"

"Whatever you want," I repeated, reassuring him.

He smiled shyly at me. "Ever heard of All Might?"

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True to my word, I came to him every few nights. I would have gone to him every night, if my wand didn't require a full day to recharge after making the trip. He was always awake when I arrived, and most nights he seemed genuinely excited to see me. We would watch videos of heroes, tell outrageous stories, play childish games, or watch movies. There were a few nights, though, that he was too tired, or too upset to do anything more than be comforted until he fell asleep. I did the best I could to make him happy, and give him hope.

I liked to imagine I succeeded.

(Later, he would tell me that I did.)

I wasn't sure what else I could do for him. The only thing I was certain about in regards to Shōto was that I sincerely wanted to make him happy, and for him to _stay_ happy.

On the few visits where his eyes were red, and his heart heavy, I did everything in my power to cheer him up. It wasn't always effective, and there were moments where all I could do was pat his head, hold his hand, and change the ice compress for him.

"I'm here," I would tell him, and try to convey to him that he was not alone.

He would mumble something in return, and squeeze my hand a bit tighter.

"I'm here," I would repeat, voice soft. "You will never be alone."

"Promise?"

"Always and always."

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* * *

 **Age 6**

I laid beside Shōto in his bed, both of us above the covers. Shōto had his back turned to me, facing the wall and refusing to turn over to greet me. Normally when I entered his room, Shōto would acknowledge me in some manner.

When he didn't, concern urged me to touch his shoulder. My hand gently rested on his left shoulder, and he finally turned around to face me.

A soft gasp escaped my lips when I noticed his bandaged face. Worry and guilt settled like a cold stone in my stomach, and I gently touched the bandages. "Are you in pain?"

He mutely shook his head, then turned his back to me once more.

My chest was tight, icicles pricking inside of me painfully. I could feel my eyes burn, and I struggled to keep my tears in check. The bandage created a foreboding sense deep inside of me, and I knew what would come.

I knew more pain was in store for my friend.

Pain I could not take away from him.

What could I do?

I was _six_. A nobody. A useless child.

The one would cause him pain was _Endeavour_. The world's second greatest hero, and a public darling. He was untouchable to someone like me.

My wand had grown attached to Shōto, like I, so I was capable of teleporting him away.

But to what?

Where would we go?

Where would he hide?

I couldn't stop Endeavour any more than I could stop a hurricane.

Shōto was his prized child. The perfect combination of the two Quirks Endeavour _bred_ him for. Endeavour would create his version of the perfect hero out of Shōto, whether Shōto liked it or not.

The chill inside of me intensified with the feelings of helplessness that overwhelmed me.

"What can I do?" I pleaded.

"Nothing," he muttered.

I pulled the blankets over us, and tucked him in as best I could before I held his hand. "I'm here for you."

He didn't respond, and I felt a knife dig inside of my chest.

"I'm here for you."

Silence.

" _I'm here for you_."

"I know," he whispered, his voice breaking.

"Always and always."

"Always and always," he repeated back to me, shuddering as the first of many tears fell.

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There were no schools in my area. When it was time for me to attend elementary school, my Baba and Papa were prepared to send me to the nearest boarding school (where most of the children went to in our tight-knit community).

I neither wanted, nor needed to attend school. Aside from the fact that I had done so _way too many times_ and the idea of having to go through it again made me physically ill, I sincerely would rather remain at home so I could assist Baba and Papa.

While both were physically fit, and healthy as could be, they were both _old_ and constantly working hard on the farm.

Baba was a retired teacher, and wrote children's books and juvenile fantasy novels, but during her free time she would go outside and work the gardens for Papa. Papa was an old school farmer, who did not farm to sell, but farmed to trade with other farmers (our community was nothing but farmers), or provide food for his family. Our income came strictly from Baba, as well as their retirement.

Caring for me did not put a strain on their financial aspect, thankfully, and because of my more youthful body, I was able to assist them in things they could no longer do. Or at least, in some cases (eventually all cases when I was old enough). In addition, thanks to my teleport ability, I could quickly take Baba and Papa to the hospital the moment something was amiss. I could not be there for them, and know when they needed me, if I didn't stay at home.

Granted, I could attend the school during the day and teleport back home at night, but that was still _eight hours_ of my Baba and Papa left alone.

Far too unsettling. I had come home to deceased parents before, and I _never_ wanted to do that again.

So when the subject came up, I respectfully declined, and launched into a long, persuasive argument that I could be self-taught, and Baba could home-school me on subjects I could not understand.

Naturally, both were dubious of my claims.

I pleaded with them to give me a chance—give me one year to prove that I could educate myself. If I failed the exam that Baba created for me at the end of the year, then I would concede, and never argue against going to school again.

It took several days of arguing before both finally relented and gave me my year.

Unbeknownst to them, I had acquired the self-discipline to self educate myself _many_ life times ago, and it was not something that would go away willy nilly. Not to mention after having the basics taught over, and over again ingrained them so much in me that I could do them with my eyes closed, so to speak.

With what allowance I had obtained (usually doing dishes, or helping out with dinner—there wasn't much a child was allowed to do to earn allowance) I purchased a variety of textbooks and work books under the pretense I would use them to study. Most of the books I bought were written by one M.P.

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* * *

 **Age 7**

Some things were getting harder to remember. Even when I wrote things down, when I looked back upon what I wrote it was like a complete stranger wrote them.

It was scary at times.

It was heartbreaking at other times.

But mostly, it was relieving.

I didn't want to remember, and I didn't remember why I didn't want to remember. I figured it had something to do with my death, but when I dwelled too much on it, I was overcome with so much anxiety and fear, it left me shaking and curled up.

The words _failure_ rang throughout my head.

I hated it.

 _Useless._

 _Pathetic._

 _Weak._

 _Never strong enough._

The words repeated over and over inside of me.

I hated it all so terribly much.

I couldn't be any of those words.

Not again.

Not ever.

I would be useful.

I would be strong.

I would protect those I loved.

 _I would be a hero._

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I wrapped my left arm around Shōto and pulled him close so I could ruffle his hair. The boy immediately protested my affection, but I continued on with it. When I finally let go of him, he shot me a glower and started to fix his hair.

"Stop doing that," Shōto complained, picking back up his All Might action figure and holding it out to me. "All Might would never have to go through that."

"But you aren't All Might," I said with a grin. "You're a cutie patootie that must be hugged and loved!"

"I am not!" the child protested petulantly, huffing. I doubted he realized that his left hand trailed up to touch his burnt face, but I noticed immediately and grabbed his hand.

"You are," I disagreed firmly, squeezing his hand. Shōto's eyes trailed away, and he shrugged. "Do you want to play another game?"

"Okay," he said quietly.

I gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go. "You are a cutie. Always will be."

"It's not nice to lie," he muttered.

"I'll tell you every time I see you, Shōto. You'll believe me one day."

He snorted, and set down his action figure.

"I'll be sparing daily now," he told me quietly.

My heart constricted and I placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm here for you."

He turned his head back and gave me a small smile.

"Always and always?" he asked me.

"Always and always," I promised him.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I had proven myself to Baba and Papa. Baba would set the requirements of what I had to learn within a year, and what I had to master. As long as I continued to meet her requirements, I was allowed to be "home schooled."

They were both proud of my self-discipline, and relieved I would be able to stay home with them. Sometimes Baba worried about me making friends, but her worries were dismissed by Papa, or one of our many neighbors when they came to visit.

"She has all the family and friends she needs here," Papa would say, as he lifted me up and placed me in one of our neighbor's lap.

The elderly neighbor would coo at me. "When our grandchildren visit, she'll be able to play with them."

"I suppose," Baba responded dubiously, still giving me worried looks. "I only want her to be happy."

"I am happy," I said.

Baba smiled and bent down to kiss my cheek. "Then stay that way, precious Kiyomi-chan."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 8**

I discovered the wonders of texts written by one M.P. and how they were so perfectly written, I felt like I could learn everything I could possibly need to by reading them. My studies had reached to the point where my past life couldn't be of much help to me. It had been too many years since I had done complex algorithms, or thought about chemistry. The only thing I had left going for me was the self-discipline I had mastered, and that carried over into this life ( _ **this**_ **life** ).

Baba and Papa were itching for me to attend some sort of school, but as long as I could remain helpful here, I would continue to fight against that notion.

More than anything, I wanted to be helpful.

More than _anything_ , I wanted—

No.

I _needed_ to be helpful.

There was a burning itch deep inside of me that had been growing into a rampaging forest fire. The desperate need to be of use overwhelmed me at times, dominating every bit of my reasoning. It was what drove me in life, and for the life of me I could not pinpoint where it came from, or why it was there.

If I thought for an instant that I was useless, I would crumple into a fit of self-loathing that wouldn't leave until after I had been reassured repeatedly that I was useful. It was horrendously shameful, and I hated that part of me with a passion.

(It was easy to feel useless tending the injuries of my dearest friend, unable to stop the one who was hurting him.)

But it felt like that I could not do anything to change that part of me. I felt stuck, and helpless against the urge, so I did the only thing I could, and devoted myself to feeling useful.

I knew I needed an education (it would be stupid to deny such a thing), but as long as I could continue to self-teach, or be homeschooled, then I could obtain that education _and_ help those that I loved.

The texts written by M.P. were blessings straight from the Maker's ass, I swear. I praised the unknown author for many years to follow that he had deigned to write such holy things, and share it with the unworthy.

(It bugged me that despite how amazing the texts were, they were not popular sellers by a long shot.)

With the proper education taken care of, I had to address the next avenue required of me to be useful (to be able to protect Shōto).

Strength.

My Quirk wasn't something typically used by heroes. I could never teleport strangers (a wand had to become comfortable with someone before teleporting—an act that could take years), and all of my powers were dependent upon a single piece of wood. If the wand was ever broken, I could never continue to be a hero. I would, essentially, be Quirkless.

If I wanted to be strong, to be powerful enough to protect Shōto from Endeavour, I had to become a great hero. I had to have enough sway in the public's eye that I could expose Endeavour for the monster he truly was, and enough raw power and skill to deal with Endeavour in person if I had to.

Endeavour would be untouchable otherwise, I believed.

In addition to the fact that since Shōto would (inevitably, against his will) become a hero, if I became a hero with him I could actively protect him from the dangers on his job.

So becoming a hero seemed like the thing to do.

Which was why I had begun the ever wonderful… exercising.

And, praise be to YouTube, I was able to begin learning the katas to the wing chun fighting style.

Of course learning to fight on your own is never a good thing, and when I first showed Shōto my katas, he had to correct every single one of my stances for _months_.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 10**

I sat in bed, my mind reflecting on the strange dream I had.

Vague images danced behind my eyes when I closed them, but one picture stood out with perfect clarity.

It was a boy, and he had no name, but I wanted to call him Sunshine, or Cinnamon Roll.

He was precious to me, so precious in fact, I was compelled to find him.

But he came to me in a dream, and we had never met. If I found him, what would I even say?

Was he even real?

I could try to find him. My teleportation allowed me to teleport to individuals as long as I had a clear image of them in my head, and they carried no Repellant (a special creation by the school of Magi that prevented our powers from working in certain areas. It was essential for most securities, given that half the Magi Quirk population consisted of teleporters) that was how I teleported to Shōto, five years ago.

I fidgeted in my bed.

Who was he?

Who was the Sunshine, the Cinnamon Roll, who I felt obligated to protect? Who I wanted to cheer for, and comfort, similar (but not the same anymore) to how I wanted to protect Shōto? Why was I compelled to meet him?

Talking to a stranger, typically, left me in a tangled bundle of nerves, but for the boy I felt like it was worth the risk.

Why?

Who was he?

As I got ready for the day, the questions circled inside my head. I found myself going through the motions in a daze, so wrapped up in my head. Only when Baba called out to me, to remind me that I was to take her to her doctor's appointment in half an hour, did I snap out of it.

"What's wrong with you, Kiyo-chan?" Baba asked me, placing a calloused wrinkled hand over my forehead. Her blue eyes softened with worry.

"There's someone I want to meet," I said, "but I feel nervous to do so."

"Is this person dangerous?"

"No! I think he's… very good."

Baba smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "I know you feel shy, little Kiyo-chan, but don't let that shyness take away your chance to make a friend. If he is good, then there is nothing to fear."

I kissed Baba and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Baba."

"And I love you, Kiyo-chan."

When Baba left the room to finish setting up dinner in the crockpot, I took a deep breath, envisioned the boy, and left.

There was a startled shout, and my gaze snapped up to the flustered boy, and my eyes widened upon seeing him. A rush of memories came to me in that split second, for his face triggered all of them. I grabbed his—Izuku's—hands and I told him, "You're going to the greatest hero ever, Cinnamon Roll. Don't ever give up. I'll be here for you."

The ten year old boy on his way to school let out faint choking noises as his face slowly turned fifty shades of red.

I released my hold on his hands and smiled at him. "I'll see you later. I gotta take Baba to her appointment."

As he covered his face with his arms, still making funny noises, I left him and returned to Baba.

Baba barely startled when I appeared in front of her, with a wide smile on my face. "Baba! I think I made a friend today."

Baba beamed at me. "Well done, Kiyo-chan."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I waited until I felt certain that Izuku (' _How did I know that name? Why did I dream about him? Why did I say the things I said?'_ ) would have been done with dinner, before I appeared before him.

Unsurprisingly, I appeared in his room and the boy had to cover his mouth to keep the startled scream inside. He was on his bed with what appeared to be a green notebook, and some pages of homework scattered in front of him.

"I-It's you," he stammered, his face redder than tomatoes. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to, um, _um_ , you, of course," I told him, blushing. Reflecting on my actions earlier that day was embarrassing, and seeing _him_ get flustered over it, only made _me_ more flustered. I didn't have a lot of interaction with people around my age except Shōto, and Izuku was nothing at all like Shōto.

"Wh-Wh-Why?" he wheezed out, slowly scooting back from me. The poor boy looked ready to pass out.

I licked my lips, feeling unsurprisingly nervous. How did I explain to a complete stranger that I dreamed about him, decided to see he was real, and currently felt an undeniable urge to become his friend?

"I dreamed about you, so I decided to become your friend," I settled on, offering him up an anxious grin.

He was starting to make squeaky noises. It seemed like he was trying to form coherent words, but only high-pitched squeaks escaped him.

"So," I continued slowly, "if you don't want to be friends say so now. I pr-promise not to bother you further."

He shook his head frantically.

I beamed. "Excellent. My name is Kiyomi! I'll come visit you on the weekends every week now!"

Izuku nodded his head, still wheezing and squeaking.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 11**

"I want to be a hero," I told Shōto one afternoon. "I want to go to U.A. and become a professional hero."

Shōto paused from his readings, looking up at me. We were both sitting beside each other on a large couch, quietly reading different novels. I, of course, was reading the latest text by M.P. Even if I did not know anything about Quantum Physics, I was too much of a dedicated fan girl by that point to _not_ read it.

Shōto closed his book, turning to face me squarely, his face (as always) entirely serious. "Are you sure? Being a hero will be dangerous. What about Baba, and your Papa?"

I straightened my shoulders, my gaze firm as I responded to my friend, "I'm sure. I've thought about this for the past couple of years, and I truly believe this is what I want in life. I don't know if I'll be able to succeed, but I swear I will do my best."

Shōto nodded once, slowly. "I promise I will support you as best as I can."

That made me smile. Despite being barely a preteen, my friend took everything as serious as an adult.

' _That's his father's doing. Being forced to mature years before he should have to._ '

Unknowingly, my eyes flickered to his burned side of the face. He noticed, and immediately correctly guessed what I was thinking. "I'm fine."

I didn't argue that he wasn't.

We both knew the day he admitted he wasn't fine, was the day he would crumble.

He wasn't ready to face that demon, yet, and I wouldn't force him to.

Instead, I smiled at him, as warm and certain as I could. I said, "I know you are. I worry needlessly, though."

He cracked a small smile. "You worry more than there are stars in the sky."

My nose crinkled at that. "That is _so_ not true."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I confessed to Baba and Papa that night about my dreams to go to U.A. and become a professional hero.

Baba smiled at me so widely, her eyes crinkled shut as she hugged me. "I'm so happy for you, dear Kiyomi-chan."

Papa came around the kitchen table to where I sat, and Baba was hugging me, to wrap his large arms around us. "We were worried you would never find your dream. You have no idea how happy you made us tonight, Kiyo-chan."

I lapped up their love, wanting to cherish the moment before I inquired about an uncomfortable subject. "Baba? Papa? Can… can we _afford_ for me to go to U.A.?"

When they did not answer me, I knew what my next step was.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I stood outside the academy, clutching my pocket-guide of _How To Control Your Anxiety_ by M.P.. The academy was intimidating, and even though it was currently summer break and no students were around, I couldn't resist anxiously checking over my shoulder.

I shoved my wand as far into my holster as I could, and wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans.

Then, mustering up as my determination as I could, I headed inside.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"U-Um," I began nervously, feeling extremely anxious. My stomach churned, and I felt my face warming underneath the secretary's warm smile. "I-I, um, I w-would like to, um, _um_ —"

"Are you here for a teacher's autograph?" she inquired politely, still smiling warmly. "I'm afraid—"

"No," I answered quickly, my voice cracking a bit. "It's… I, _um_ …"

She waited patiently for me to answer, her eyes softening. "How about we start with your name?"

My shoulders twitched, as I realized (with growing embarrassment) how rude it was of me to not introduce myself first. I bowed to her quickly. "I'm M-Marin Notenshi Kiyomi."

Lava colored my cheeks after I blurted out my entire full name to the young woman.

She placed a hand over her chest. "I'm Umani Natsukiyo Tadara, but you may call me Tadara-nee, okay?"

"Y-Yes, T-Tadara-nee," I croaked out. "P-Please t-tell me about sc-scholarships for the school!"

She smiled widely at me, and was about to respond before she noticed something behind me. Her face lit up, and she stood up from her chair, causing me to turn around. "Welcome back, Nezu-sama!"

I clutched at my book close to my chest, while I turned around to face Nezu, the U.A.'s principle. The small creature leisurely entered the front office, apparently on his way to his own office behind the secretary. He gave her a jovial wave and smile. "Good afternoon, Tadara-chan. Helping this young lady?"

Tadara smiled brightly, nodding her head. "I was about to explain scholarships to her."

That made Nezu pause, and turn to face me fully, smile firm on his face. "Oh, is that so? It's been over a decade since a student was awarded a scholarship to attend U.A.."

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a nervous sweat on my back. "Wh-What?"

" _Mostly_ because most students who attend here don't need them," Tadara was quick to reassure me.

"Are you wanting to attend U.A. next year?" Nezu asked me, looking me up and down.

I shook my head. "U-Um. I'm only eleven, so I want to attend in a-about four and a half years. My Baba and Papa… um… we're farmers, you see, and while we do fine on our own, U.A., _um_ is a little." I stopped, realizing that I might have offended the principle by calling his school too expensive. Feeling even more nervous, I squeezed tightly at my book and—

" _Chapter Five: It's okay to be nervous, everyone gets nervous. If you're too overwhelmed, it's okay to close your eyes and take a deep breath. No one will think less of you for doing so, and those three seconds could be all you need to get back on track_."

Recalling the passage, I closed my eyes and took in a long breath. I counted to five before I slowly released it, and re-opened my eyes. Nezu still stood in front of me, smiling just as kindly as before. "It w-would burden my Baba and Papa if I attended here without a scholarship. I-I really don't want to do that to them, s-so _please_ … If there is any way to obtain a scholarship within the next four years, I will do _whatever_ it takes."

" _Hm_ ," Nezu hummed. "Are you free right now?"

"Yes, sir!"

Nezu nodded. "Okay. Come with me to my office, and take an exam. If you pass it, then we'll talk."

I was a little caught off guard by that, but seeing no alternative, I did as he said.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When I finished the exam, Nezu spent about thirty minutes looking over it. My hands ached, and I felt more than a little mentally tired from all the questions. It had been a while since I had challenged myself like that. I had gotten complacent and arrogant from reading M.P.'s books, misbelieving that I was well advanced for my age.

If what was on the exam were things expected of me to know well before I attended the school… I had my work out for myself.

However, I felt confident that I would be able to accomplish it. Most of the things covered in the exams were subjects that M.P. had written about (even if I had not gotten around to that text, yet).

Nezu placed the paper down on his large desk, and sipped some of the tea he had poured for both of us. "Well, well! It looks like I have quite the fan."

I blinked, confused.

Nezu hopped down from his chair, leaving the exam behind and walking over to where I sat at a nearby desk. He pointed at the book that I had kept in my lap. "That's been well-read, I see."

"Y-Yes, sir," I answered hesitantly.

He then pointed towards himself. "I'm M.P.."

My mouth dropped open.

"M.P. stands for Mr. Principle! Haha. Still, it's been awhile since I came across someone who not only read my books, but memorized all of the techniques I wrote about. Not only did you pass the exam with them, but the _way_ you did it could only have been from reading _my_ books."

"I-I have your entire collection," I breathed out, starstruck. "They're all ask for for my birthdays."

That made Nezu chortle. "Ah! How lovely. Would you like me to autograph that copy you have?"

I thrusted it towards him faster than I had ever moved in my entire life.

His tail waved from left to right as he signed his name with a flourish. "Four and a half years, huh? Well, going by your test scores alone you show a lot of promise, but it takes more than that to get into this school."

"L-Let me prove myself to you," I begged. "I'll do whatever it takes."

He nodded, handing me back the book. "That's a nice spirit! I'll give you the chance. Come back here tomorrow at nine. If you pass everything tomorrow, you'll have your scholarship. And as long as you pass the entrance exam when you turn sixteen, you may attend this school."

"Thank you, Nezu-sama!"

He smiled at me. "I look forward to seeing you break a few bones tomorrow!"

"Ye—What?"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I gave a small moan as I teleported onto Izuku's couch in the living room. Inko and Izuku let out a quiet gasp, surprised by my abrupt appearance. Izuku was at the computer in the living room, and he swiveled his chair around to face me. Inko, though, was on her way to bring Izuku a tray of snacks.

"K-Kiyo-chan, are you okay?" Izuku asked, concerned. "When you didn't show up this morning, I thought you weren't going to come over today."

"I'm fine," I said, slowly sitting up and wincing.

"What happened to you?" Inko asked, immediately starting to fret over me. "You're covered in bruises."

Izuku quickly got up from his spot, his eyes wide as he started to panic. "What? Oh no! Um—I'll get some ice!"

"It's okay," I tried to soothe both of them. "I went to U.A. yesterday to apply for a scholarship. There was a physical portion that I wasn't prepared for and I got a _little_ banged up."

Inko glared at my sling.

Izuku returned with a pack of ice, his face torn between clear worry, and obvious excitement. I grinned at him. "You wanna know about U.A.?"

"Tell me everything," Izuku begged, his fanboy popping out like a hyperactive toddler given an energy drink. "Wait! Don't! Let me get another notebook!"

While he raced away, Inko placed the icepack on my head and tucked back some of my hair. "Kiyo-chan, are you sure you're okay?"

"Mm-hmm! Nothing's broken, but my shoulder did get dislocated," I said dismissively.

"Oh—Oh my—"

"It was so amazing," I continued on, starting to feel my inner fangirl for the amazing Nezu come out.

"Not yet!" Izuku shouted while he ran back down the stairs, tripping over his own feet and scrambling to find a pen.

A minute later my friend hopped onto the couch next to me, eyes shining and pen poised to start taking notes.

"Where do you want me to start?" I asked him.

"What you had for breakfast that day," he told me, perfectly serious.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 12**

It had been over a year since I had won my scholarship with Nezu-sensei, and the great man had graciously allowed me to seek out his guidance on certain academic matters. It was not uncommon for me to visit him bi-weekly, even if some of those visits were merely a ten minute hello-hi-you're-awesome-I-love-you-thank-you-oh-my-gosh-I-idolize-you before I had to excuse myself (Hey. If you had the opportunity to meet someone you fangirled hard over, you would pester them as much as you could, too.). Nezu was patient with me, though, and always happy to indulge my visits. He would advise me on which area I should focus my attention on for a while (critical thinking, flexibility, speed, etc). Occasionally, he would even allow me to make tea for him while he gave me a long-winded lecture about one of his books!

Shōto's home life had drastically become more relaxed. Endeavour was frequently called away for special assignments out of the country, and was gone for weeks at a time. It was a great relief to Shōto, and it meant that special tutors took over Endeavour's training for him. These tutors were nowhere near as brutal as Endeavour, and Shōto felt _immensely_ more comfortable with them than his father.

Enough so that towards the end of the year, Shōto introduced me to his tutors in hopes that I could become a sparring partner.

Of course that made me nervous as all hell because I had never, _ever_ sparred with someone before, but Shōto's steady demeanor encouraged me enough to try it.

Every weekend I still hung out with Izuku. The ball of sunshine was beside himself to have someone to talk animatedly about his obsession with heroes. When I told him how I won the scholarship, and that I got to talk with _the_ Nezu, Izuku got so excited for me, he started jumping up and down.

He was so pumped, he insisted that we drew my hero costume _that night_.

And as ever, I was entirely too weak to that happy smile to say no.

Who in the hell could _ever_ reject someone so full of life and genuine happiness?

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I woke up one morning, the my dream of ambiguous faces and dark skies already fading away into a distant, albeit unpleasant, memory. I had an urge to do something different from my routine, an unexplainable itch that had to be satisfied.

A quick glance at my alarm clock told me it was past eight, so my friends would be up by that point. Although, it was the weekend and as such Shōto would be unavailable to to be with me until extremely late that night. I typically spent my weekend playing with Izuku, or helping Baba and Papa around the farm.

But since I had slept passed my usual alarm (I got up at five most mornings with Baba and Papa), I knew most of the farm work would likely already be done by that point. I felt a little guilty I had slept past my alarm, but I shoved that aside quickly enough. I detested feeling anything less than okay, or happy.

The years of feeling helpless with Shōto's situation gave me plenty of practice of shoving away unsavory thoughts.

I moved quickly to get ready, pulling on my work jeans and a clean red shirt. By the time I was done, Baba and Papa were already done with the farm work for now and were watching a monster movie in the living room. I kissed each of them on the cheek before I teleported to Izuku.

Izuku didn't jump in surprise when I appeared in his kitchen. Inko didn't even pause from washing dishes and handing them to her son.

I beamed at both of them. "Good morning you adorable people."

Inko turned around to smile at me. "Good morning, Kiyo-chan!"

"G-Good morning," Izuku offered, shy smile on his face.

"You ready to go on an adventure?" I asked Izuku.

"Ah—um—?"

"Sounds like fun." Inko beamed. "Take care of my Izuku."

"Always," I said, bowing towards the lady. "Get your shoes, Sunshine."

Izuku hesitated for a moment before doing as I asked. Once he was ready, I grabbed his hand and teleported us to the topmost part of Tokyo Tower.

Izuku screamed and clung onto me. "What are we doing?!"

It was a little hard to hear him over the howling wind. I grinned at him. "Going on an adventure!"

And then I grabbed onto his arm and teleported both of us about ten meters away from Tokyo Tower, high up in the air.

We began to immediately plummet, Izuku screaming in absolute horror, while I giggled in delight at the pleasant adrenaline rush. When we neared the bottom, I teleported both of us right back to the top and the fall continued.

"OH MY GOD STOP PLEASE WHY OH GOD I'M GOING TO DIE NO NONO NOO NO NO NONONONONONO,"

I laughed at my friend, then temporarily let go of his arm. His scream took a turn for a higher pitch and he grabbed both of my hands. We free-fell bellies down, and faces turned up to look at each other for a while. The fifth time I teleported us back to the top, Izuku's screams had died down to the occasional whimper.

The seventh time, and he was giving me a look that was torn between anxiety and annoyance.

I winked at him. "Come on, this isn't even a little fun?"

He gave me what _had_ to be a pout. "Warning would have been nice."

"Never ever," I told him.

Then I teleported both of us into the ocean and we plummeted into the water in a spectacular belly-flop.

Izuku told me he would never go on another adventure with me ever again.

Fortunately for me, he was lying.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 13**

I appeared before Shōto, feeling confident and happy. My dearest companion turned his head away from his instructor and offered me a polite head dip. Shōto was currently on the tatami mats doing the splits and stretching under the watchful gaze of his fighting instructor. Endeavour had Shōto practice a blend of different styles, such as jujitsu, boxing, tae kwon do, aikido, and wing chun.

Since Endeavour has begun to spend less at time at home, I was able to leave Shōto's room when I came over. It seemed to be an unspoken rule amongst all members of the household that I would be kept secret from the temperamental hero.

Despite the protection, I still opted to remain in Shōto's room most of the time because I felt most comfortable there, and so did Shōto. The only time I consistently left it with Shōto was on days such as this, where we would spar.

I did not have my own instructor, but I did work hard to learn the wing chun style and some in jujitsu. My style is rusty, at best, but with plenty of practical practice and consistently doing all of my katas, it was steadily improving. The spars were undoubtedly one the best sources I had to learning.

Michiro, a middle-aged man with a hardening Quirk gave me a grunt. "Are you ready, Kiyomi-san?"

"Yeah," I said, then grinned. "Baba got me a new training outfit!"

Shōto stood up, tilting his head slightly. "Congrats."

I beamed at him, then shrugged off my favorite white jacket and placed it on the bench. When I turned back around, Shōto was staring at me with a look of mild horror. I frowned at that. "What?"

"Where's your shirt?" Shōto asked me, his voice cracking and face starting to flush. Michiro guffawed.

I looked down at my training shirt. It ended at the midsection, so I suppose it could be interpreted as a training bra. But I got hot easily and I hated the feeling of clothes sticking to me, so it seemed perfectly reasonable to me to opt for something that would keep me cooler. Besides, it was certainly more covering than a bathing suit.

I cocked my head at Shōto. "This is my shirt."

"Wha- _at_."

Michiro slapped Shōto hard on the back. "Enough ogling, boy." Shōto was mortified by his words. "Get in there."

The two of us stepped onto the mat and bowed once towards Michiro. Shōto still looked distinctly uncomfortable, his eyes locked onto my own gaze and seemingly refusing to look anywhere else.

His reaction was partially amusing to me, but a little worrying, too. Did it bother him _that_ much?

"Begin!"

We moved in the same instant, our bodies twisting and conforming as we settled into a familiar rhythm. For many minutes the only sound heard was skin slapping against skin, along with the occasional grunt. Neither of us had the obvious advantage, which was a first. Typically after ten minutes into the spar, Shōto would have been able to pin me, or at least press for an advantage. It wasn't that I was bad, certainly not, but he was simply that talented with hand-to-hand combat.

That day, however, Shōto repeatedly hesitated. I even deliberately created openings when I realized such, and he did not take any of them. His face was perpetually flushed, and when his hand snapped out and accidentally brushed my right boob, his entire body froze.

Mercilessly, I took advantage and delivered a decisive kick that caused my friend to sprawl to the ground.

Shōto landed gracelessly, his face growing red.

He had touched my breasts before during spars (accidents were bound to happen, and the chest was a good area to go for no matter the gender), but he had never reacted quite so oddly. I felt the urge to tease him if puberty had finally come for him, but decided against it since he was already so flustered.

Michiro howled with laughter. "Boy, did you only realize _now_ she was a girl?"

Shōto immediately glared at Michihiro, his cheeks still rosy. "Sh- _Shut up_."

"C'mon, Shōto," I encouraged. "Let's try that again, okay?"

And although Shōto never reacted quite the same way again after that, for the next few months he still had this unreadable look on his face whenever I came over.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I had successfully landed a part time job in the city that housed U.A., (the same city that Izuku and Shōto lived in, actually). The job was mostly to keep myself busy, and earn a little extra cash. I initially wanted to give the money to Baba and Papa, but the two categorically rejected the idea. They still made plenty off of Baba's books, and Papa was able to provide for us well enough through his farm. It was certainly not like our family would go starving any night, given how tight-knit our community was.

If someone's crops failed one season, everyone pitched in a portion of their food to the family.

Still, I was determined to be of some assistance to them. I kept the job as strictly part time so I could continue to assist Papa around the farm and do the heavy lifting for the man. There were some days that Papa would even "loan" me out to some of our neighbors (not that I complained at all, I loved them dearly).

The job was at a family-friendly maid cafe (hence why I was allowed to work there, despite being a teenager). Most of our customers were mothers with their children, but we did serve some men, and teenagers.

None of our outfits were risque, by any means, but they were frilly, feminine and utterly adorable. Our boss was next level adorable, too, with a charming smile and and a charismatic attitude that had any customer melting in her hands.

It went without saying that the business was a popular one—expanded to three stories—and most late afternoons and early mornings were ridiculously busy.

I was never bored working there, and by constantly going to the city for my job, I was able to learn a bit more about it every trip. Since I wanted to attend U.A., I thought it was important that I become well-acquainted with the environment surrounding it.

(If I was being entirely honest, though, I took the job to get over my damn anxiety when talking with strangers, per Nezu's suggestion. He had actually been the one to set up the interview for me.)

One afternoon, it was relatively quiet at the cafe. It was a weekday, so most of our clients were at work or school. Things typically picked up around three in the afternoon every day, so around noon to one, the cafe was relatively empty.

When the front door swung open, and the bell chimed throughout the pink dolly-filled cafe, I turned to greet our guest. I bowed lowly. "W-Welcome back, Master."

Upon straightening up, I was delighted to find it was Izuku, who wore a small smile on his face. He seemed unusually nervous, though. "A-Ah, thank you Kiyo-chan."

I figured out the reason he was nervous soon enough, because following him into the cafe were a few of his classmates. I vaguely recognized the one with pale blond hair, and a sneer on his face. " _This_ is where you go to everyday after school?"

"N-Not every day," Izuku protested quietly.

I smiled warmly at the guests, bowing again. "Welcome, Masters. Are you friends with Izuku-sama?"

The blond's sneer stretched wider across his face. "You fucking mean Deku?"

"If you are friends with Izuku-sama, then the first round of drinks is on me," I offered politely, still smiling. For an odd reason, I felt instantly happy to see the blond boy. I felt like I knew him, and that he had a decent heart, or was at least was someone I could trust.

The three boys exchanged glances before looking over at the fidgeting Izuku. The blond finally shrugged. "Who the hell can say no to free drinks?"

I beamed, gesturing for them to follow me. I lead the quartet up the stairs to a table that oversat by the large window. I handed them each a menu, patting Izuku on the shoulder once I had done so. "Usual?"

Izuku mutely nodded, clutching at his green notebook.

"I'll have whatever Deku has," the blond boy declared, smirking as Izuku flushed. The other two boys murmured agreement to that, and I left to make their drinks.

When I returned, I placed a drink in front of each them before pulling up a chair and sitting beside Izuku. "My manager said it was okay for me to take a small break. How was school?"

"Fine," Izuku said, glancing over at his friends. "Um. This is Kacchan—"

My eyes lit up as Kacchan snarled at Izuku. "Oh! I've heard so much about you, Kacchan. It's so nice to meet you. I hope we'll become good friends in class together."

"It's Bakugō Katsuki not _Kacchan_ ," he snapped, a scowl morphing his face into something familiar. "What the hell do you mean in class? Are you transferring?"

"No," I admitted, "but Izu-chan said that you would be going to U.A., right? I'm going there, too!"

Izuku smiled at me, nodding firmly. "Yeah! Kiyo-chan even has a recommendation letter from a hero! He's paying for her tuition, too."

I giggled, thinking back fondly of Nezu. "Mm-hmm. So we'll be classmates!"

"A recommendation?" Katsuki repeated, "You're good, then?"

That made me smirk. "The only way I'll keep my recommendation is by consistently scoring within the top percentage while I'm there. I mean you no offense, Katsuki-kun, but you won't be number one while _I'm_ attending."

" _Ha_ ," Katsuki snorted, slamming his hands on the table and leaning towards me. "That's a big fucking mouth you got there. You better keep those words to yourself because _I_ will be the undisputable number one."

" _Really_ ," I said disbelievingly, ignoring how Izuku and the two others were inching away from the both of us. "How about you put your money where your mouth is, _Bocchan_ *?"

A smirk stretched across his lips. "What do you have in mind, _Busu_ *?"

Nonplussed, I said, "One year. You have one year to figure out every aspect of my Quirk."

" _What_?"

"You're a genius, right?" I purred. "Surely you can do this much. The rules are simple: don't ask anyone about it, and every week when you come here I will not only treat you to a free drink, but I'll answer _one_ yes or no question about my Quirk. If you manage to figure it out one year from now… I'll be your personal maid for the first month of school at U.A., _but_ if you don't figure it out you have to treat me to lunch every day for the first month!"

"How lame," Katsuki scoffed. "There's no fucking—"

"Oh. Too hard?" I sighed. "Guess you really won't be much competition."

" _Shut the fuck up before I kill you!_ Your deal is on. Enjoy your freedom while it fucking lasts, _Busu_."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I rested my head on Shōto's shoulder, closing my eyes. It was restless night for me. I woke up several times, covered in sweat and feeling terrified out of my mind. I couldn't remember what I was dreaming about, only that it was frightening and it made my heart ache.

Without thinking too much on it, I teleported to Shōto's room, unsurprised to find my friend awake and reading in his bed. He barely spared me a glance when I crawled into his bed and curled up beside him.

"Bad dream?" Shōto asked after almost an hour of me not-really-dozing-but-kinda-dozing on his shoulder.

Lifting my head, I looked over at him, assessing his tired eyes. "Can't sleep."

"I had no idea. The question still remains: _why_ can't you sleep?"

I stuck my tongue out at his sarcastic answer. "I dunno. Bad dreams. I don't even remember what they're about, but I get all anxious thinking about them."

Shōto closed his book, and set it on his other side. "Anything I can do?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Yes."

I turned my head and smiled at him. "Thank you."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"It's time for another adventure."

Izuku didn't even blink when I said that, instead he reached over and grabbed our handy dandy adventure backpack. A backpack that looked like it had been through a tornado, hurricane, then had a building fall on top of it, yet was somehow still holding together. It was filled to the brim with essentials for going on an adventure: first aid, rations, water, rags, matches, Chester the Comfort Cat, a flare gun, vapor rub, and of course an All Might action figure.

After a little over a year of forcibly kidnapping Izuku to partake in misadventures with me, the cinnamon roll had resigned himself. The first few months he was an anxious wreck, but it didn't take too long for him to start to sincerely enjoy the expeditions and excitement we went through.

I wished I could take Shōto with me on an adventure, but since we rarely got to hang out during the day (unless it was for sparing: something of which he would not be able to get out from) he was usually tired and didn't want to do much other than relax. It wasn't uncommon for Shōto to fall asleep while I was talking to him, his head dropping down into my lap or on my shoulder with a quiet sigh. I was never offend or bothered when he did so. I knew he had a stressful day and going to sleep was never easy for him, so the fact that I could help my dearest friend at all was wonderful.

I was, however, able to take him sky-falling with me a few times.

He loved it.

Izuku slung the backpack over his shoulder. "So where to now?"

I grinned at him and offered my hand. He grabbed it, giving it a good squeeze before I brought us to a decent campsite by a large river where there were groups of people milling around in swimsuits.

Izuku looked around at the seemingly normal place, a frown marring his face while I tugged on his hand and had him follow me over to a booth. "What are we doing today?"

"Whitewater rafting."

"Oh," he squeaked out, starting to look nervous again.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 14**

I woke up with a start, sweat soaking through my pajamas and into my sheets. The vivid memories replayed over and over in my head, and I knew I _had_ to do something about them.

Even if I could no longer understand them.

Quickly, I summoned my wand from inside of me and I teleported to Nezu's office. Despite it being early in the morning, Nezu was perfectly awake and well-groomed as he went through paperwork. He looked up upon realizing I had entered his office, and greeted me with a cheerful wave. "Good morning, Kiyo-chan! Ah, you're soaking, whatever is wrong?"

"I—I don't," I stumbled, my brow furrowed. Nezu hopped out of his chair and hurried over to me, ushering for me to sit down on his couch. I flopped down with a sigh, rubbing at my face. "I had this dream, and I feel like I _need_ to tell you. I, I dreamed about All Might and my friend, Izuku. I think they need to meet. I think they need to meet _really_ bad."

As Nezu began making tea, he hummed. "Can you elaborate?"

"Well," I began, feeling uncertain, "it's weird. But there was this guy, and he was All Might, except he didn't look _anything_ like All Might does on television. He was all wasted away, super skinny, and bony. When he lifted up his shirt there was this horrible scar on his left side, and he said that because of it… I guess he has to find the _ninth_? I don't know! But Izuku was there, and he was crying and All Might said that Izuku had to inherit One for All, whatever _that_ means. He made Izuku eat some hair, and then things got _really_ scary all of a sudden. There was this other guy and Izuku called him All for One, and… and then I woke up."

Nezu forced a cup of tea into my trembling hands, and he sat down on the couch beside me. "Interesting. Do you have these dreams often?"

"Um. I-I think so? I don't always remember them," I confessed quietly. "Is it… should I not have told you? I mean was it…?"

"Kiyo-chan," Nezu began softly, "would you do me a favor and have your friend come to the academy tomorrow?"

I blinked at that. "Wha—ah, yeah."

Nezu patted my leg. "Drink your tea, Kiyo-chan, and collect yourself. You did well to tell me about your dream, and I thank you for entrusting it to me. Everything will be okay now."

Relief flooded through at me at my teacher's words, and I felt tension drain away from me. "Oh, oh good."

"I will always have an open door for you if you want to talk to me, and I will do my best to help you," Nezu promised.

My eyes burned. "Th-Thank you, Sensei. I wouldn't… I owe so much to you. Thank you."

"Drink your tea, Kiyo-chan."

"Yes, Sensei."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I brought Izuku along with me to the academy. Upon arriving, Izuku released my hand and gasped. "It's… It's so glamorous!"

A smile bloomed across my face for my friend. "I'm really glad you like it. Come on, I'll take you to Nezu-sensei."

Izuku gulped nervously, his face pale. "R-Right."

I looked him over. "Do you want to hold my hand some more?"

"N- _No_.," he answered quickly, raising his favorite notebook and clutching it to his chest. "Do you, um, know what he wants with me?"

Shaking my head, I began to lead Izuku through the school halls. "No, but don't worry. You can trust Nezu-sensei."

Izuku fell quiet at that, anxiously looking around the mostly empty school. He remained silent all the way until I lead him to Nezu's office. Tadara motioned for us to enter, and I opened the door and ushered Izuku inside.

Izuku gasped. " _All Might_!"

I turned around at that, surprised to find none other than All Might standing proudly in the middle of the office.

Nezu waved at us. "Hello! You must Kiyo-chan's friend, Izuku-kun."

"Y-Y-Yes!"

"Kiyo-chan," Nezu said, looking over at me, "why don't you head off to work? We'll see to it that your friend makes it home."

"Ah, okay. Bye-bye! It was nice seeing you, All Might-san."

All Might gave me a blinding smile. "Thank you for bringing your friend here, Kiyomi-chan!"

I bowed, and smiled brightly. "You're kinda charming, All Might-san! No wonder all the girls have crushes on you."

All Might gave me a booming laugh, and I took that moment to leave.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

After work, I stopped by Shōto's home, greeting my friend with an excited hug. "Sho-chan! Sho-chan, look!" Shōto patted my back, while I hopped up and down excitedly. "I won employee of the month!"

Shōto gave me a small smile. "Congratulations, Kiyo."

I nodded my head happily. "Mm-hmm. You know when Nezu-sensei told me to work there, I was a little skeptical. But he was right! I love working there now. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still wanna be a pro hero, but I'm really happy with my part time job, too."

"It's good to find things to do that make you happy."

Nodding in agreement, I hooked my arm through his. "So I was thinking we could go out for dinner to celebrate. My treat."

"Ah, I won't be able to, actually," Shōto apologized, a dark look flickering across his face. "My father will be arriving tonight and he expects an evaluation."

I winced. "No way out of it?"

"You know how he is," Shōto said quietly.

With a sigh, I stepped back from my friend. "I'm sorry, Sho-chan. I'll come by around midnight to check on you, so please take care of yourself."

Shōto snorted, looking away.

I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "I mean it. Take care of yourself. You're one of my precious people, and I hate seeing you get hurt."

He shrugged my hand away, shoving his hands in his pocket. "I know."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I gently set down Katsuki's drink. Like with Izuku, Katsuki had earned essentially forever first free drinks while I was on service (the boss merely deducted it from my pay, which was fine). Even after finishing our little wager, he would pop in about once a week to take advantage of the free drinks (and occasionally free food if he felt persistent enough. It was hard to say no to him. Really hard. Crazy hard. Like holy hell it was hard). He typically came in with Izuku, berating him all the way until I came over and played mediator.

Then his attention would switch onto questions about U.A., how many connections I had, what I knew about the entrance exam, etc (he demanded copies of some of Nezu's texts, since Nezu was the one who created the written exams for _all_ year groups at U.A.. It would be obvious that the questions from the written exams would be in relation to the texts Nezu had written). Sometimes All Might would pop into the conversation and both boys would be distracted talking about him, comparing his past fights, until one of them decided to leave first (almost always Katsuki).

Their relationship struck me as warm, even if Katsuki verbally abused both of us. I couldn't shake the feeling that they both cared a great deal about one another and that if push came to shove, Katsuki would fight to defend Izuku. When I thought about where that feeling came from, an odd image stuck in my mind. The two boys were slightly beat up, sitting down in a semi-destroyed street while a man who was too bony, too skinny, and too fragile-looking lectured them. The man's vibrant blue eyes and blond hair reminded me of someone, although I couldn't place it.

Katsuki looked up from one of the texts he had borrowed from me. It the one on quantum physics, and it was filled with sticky notes. There were parts of the book I still didn't understand, so Nezu had me write down my questions, and during his free time he would borrow my book and fill the questions with answers in equally brightly colored sticky notes (he had adorable handwriting).

He stared at the drink for a moment, frown tugging down on his lips. "This shit going to be on the exam?"

I pulled my dress towards me, tucking it in as I sat in the chair beside him. "Um. Nezu-sensei's exams have a lot of theoretical questions. So while quantum physics may not be on there _precisely_ …"

"I get it," Katsuki muttered, looking back down at the book. "Shit, you had a lot of fucking questions. There's more sticky notes than fucking textbook."

I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly, smiling awkwardly. "Yeah. I read that book before I read his other critical thinking books."

" _Idiot_. Why would you do that?"

Not really having an answer, I shrugged. "How was school?"

"Fine. Why the fuck would it be any different?"

"You would say it was a _fine_ school day if you got into a fight with fifteen other students and beat the snot outta them," I pointed out.

Not disagreeing with that point, Katsuki snorted and looked back down at the book.

I placed both my elbows on the table, and leaned my face into my hands, peering at him. "Hey. This just occured to me, but do you… maybe not have a U.A. library pass?"

"Of course I fucking don't, I'm not a student, nor am I the principle's little pet."

"You don't have to be a student to go to the library," I told him. "The first level of the library is public access."

That made him pause, and he looked back up at me.

I smiled. "I get off in an hour. If you can wait that long, I'll take you to the library and we'll get you a pass."

He gave a grunt that I took as an affirmation.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When my shift ended, I changed into my regular clothes and tucked my maid outfit in my worn, beat-up pink backpack. I changed out into one of my dresses (today it was red, with a white bow around the middle) that Baba made for me. Baba loved making clothes for me, and she had very feminine and cutesy tastes, which rubbed off on me. I slipped on my white sandals, and released my long bubblegum pink (like Baba) hair from its pigtails.

Leaving the work room, I made my way outside the cafe where Katsuki waited for me, his hands shoved in his pocket and his backpack slung over one of his shoulders. I smiled at him, and held out my right hand. "Ready to go?"

He stared at my hand for a moment, brow furrowed and lips twisted into a sneer.

"I need physical contact to bring anyone along with me when I teleport," I elaborated.

With a grimace, Katsuki placed his hand in my own, and in the blink of an eye we stood at the entrance to U.A.'s library. He immediately snapped his hand out of my own, looking around the _massive_ library with wide eyes. It was six stories tall, filled with U.A. colors, mementos, and (most importantly) books! There were scattered chairs and couches around the library that many students were currently utilizing.

I tugged on his arm, forcefully pulling him along with me to greet Nekona, who was the head librarian. The cat-like woman purred warmly at both of us when she noticed our approach. "Ah, Kiyo-chan, is this yourrr boyfriend?"

"Don't be silly, Nee-chan," I dismissed, pulling Katsuki up front with me. "This is Bakugō Katsuki, and he would like a public library pass. He'll be my future classmate here when I attend U.A."

"How wond _urrr_ full," Nekona purred, her cat-like head cocking to the right side. "Bakugō-kun, then? Won't you be a dearrr and stand up against that wall overrr there? I'll need to take yourrr picturrre."

Katsuki obliged, although he refused to smile for his picture. It didn't take long for Nekona to print out his library card, and Katsuki took it with surprisingly careful hands. He may have been rough around the edges, but he was sincere in wanting to attend U.A. and become a hero.

I told him to let me know he was done and that I would take him home. He gave me a disgusted look and said he would be fine going alone. Deciding not to push his temper, I chose to leave and head home myself.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When I appeared before Izuku per usual, I was surprised to find him working at a beach covered in garbage. Izuku didn't even notice me while he struggled to move several large pieces of equipment.

"Working hard, huh?" I heard a soft murmur.

I turned to my right to find a familiar looking man with a bony body and warm blue eyes. I let out a quiet gasp, and the man startled and turned back around. I pointed at him. "You're a cinnamon roll!"

He blinked."What?"

I beamed at him. "Your heart is a cinnamon roll. You're a sweetie, aren't you?"

"Ah," the man began, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Uh? I hope so?"

I smiled at him. "Good. Are you friends with Izu-chan?"

"Er—"

"Kiyo-chan?"

My head snapped around to find Izuku panting heavily and looking up at me in confusion. Then his eyes widened and he gasped. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I forgot that we're supposed to go on adventure. Can I postpone that for a bit? I'm so, so, so sorry!"

A smile lit up on my face and I hopped down onto the beach. "It's okay, Izu-chan! I get the feeling this is something important to you. I'll support you however I can."

Izuku beamed at me. "Thanks, Kiyo-chan. Ah… this is…"

"Cinnamon Roll-san?" I asked, looking back up at Cinnamon Roll.

Cinnamon Roll smiled nervously. "Y-Yes. That's my name."

"Wow, really?" I said, not entirely believing him but deciding to go along with it since it seemed like a perfectly fitting name for the man. "I'm Kiyomi, but my friends call me Kiyo. Let's become friends, okay?"

Cinnamon Roll nodded quietly, still smiling anxiously. "Yes. Okay."

I clapped my hands together. "Good! I'll grab us some food."

"Thanks, Kiyo-chan," Izuku thanked me.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"I can't believe the exams will be coming up in a year," I told Shōto one night, sitting beside him on his bed. Shōto's head rested on my shoulder, and he seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment. We made the mistake of putting on a movie first thing when I arrived.

Shōto could _never_ make it through a movie without falling asleep.

Shōto murmured, "Mm. Yeah. You ready?"

"As all I ever be. Do you want to meet up the morning of the exam and have breakfast together?"

"Yes," he answered, and then he closed his eyes and did not open them again for the rest of the night.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Why do you always call Izu-chan Deku? It's rather rude." I carefully sat down Katsuki's free decadent drink, and he gave me a sneer.

"Because it suits him."

"Don't be such a brat, Bocchan," I told him.

"Who the fuck are you calling a brat?" Katsuki snarled, slamming both his hands on the table as he stood up. Thankfully, I seated him at the top floor, far away from our regular guests and their adorable children.

"You shouldn't call Izu-chan Deku," I said with a huff. "If anything call him Sunshine, or Cinnamon Roll Jr."

He snorted and sat back down. "Fuck off, don't you have any other customers?"

"Stop calling Izu-chan Deku, or else you won't get your free cake today," I threatened him.

He gave me a disbelieving look. "You would never."

"Try me."

Then he gave me The Look.

Now, Katsuki didn't beg. He didn't do puppy dog eyes, or anything even remotely close it. When Katsuki wanted something, and his blusters/threats/violence either failed or wasn't an option he resorted to The Look. For most of his life he only used the The Look on his mother, but since I had wormed my way onto the painfully short list of people-he-tolerates, he had been using The Look on me.

I stared at The Look and I felt my resolve crumbling away. "... Fine."

He smirked at me.

"Still think you shouldn't call him Deku."

"Still don't care."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Morning Cinnamon Roll-san! Morning Izu-chan!" I greeted both happily. Izuku had finished cleaning the beach up a while ago (which was impressive), but they both still used the area to have Izuku run around and lift weights. I had done my best to stay out of the way, but with little else to do on the weekends (if I randomly showed up front of Katsuki, he was liable to throw me into a river, and Shōto had to spend the weekends doing intensive training), I frequently found myself sitting beside Cinnamon Roll and watching Izuku, or running beside Izuku.

Cinnamon Roll was as sweet as his name implied. He seemed a little nervous having me hang around at first, but he relaxed over time.

Izuku beamed at me, popping back up from his push ups. "Kiyo-chan!"

"Good morning, Kiyo-chan," CInnamon Roll greeted me.

I proudly held out the three-tiered bento box Baba and I had made. "I've brought breakfast. Can you spare a moment?"

"Sure thing," Izuku said easily, jogging over to where I stood beside Cinnamon Roll.

Cinnamon Roll looked around. "Where should we eat?"

I handed Cinnamon Roll the bento box. "I've got a picnic blanket we can use. Be right back."

A quick teleportation home and back, and I proudly presented the tattered checkered picnic blanket. Izuku grimaced upon seeing it, no doubt recalling the time I tried to use as a parachute during a free fall.

It did not work out very well.

We set up our picnic blanket and food and enjoyed a very lovely breakfast.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I appeared behind Shōto, my friend seemingly only then finishing putting on his pajamas (plain white t-shirt with navy blue sweats). My arms snaked around him and I hugged him tightly. Shōto placed both of his hands on top of my arms, and with ease I teleported us high above Tokyo Tower.

Shōto didn't startle, but I knew he would be smiling as we started to freefall. Falling was one of his favorite things to do. He told me how he loved the weightless feeling, and the pleasant drop in his stomach. As we neared the ground, I heard a small laugh escape him, and a grin stretched across my face at the action.

I adored making him laugh.

When I brought us back up at the top, we readjusted so we only had to hold each other's hands as we fell. His eyes shined with amusement, and there was an infectious smile on his face.

Again and again I brought us back up to the top. After the twentieth time, where the rush was not quite as fierce, I brought us back to his room.

We fell onto his bed, and Shōto rolled over to smile at me. "Thank you."

"Any time," I promised him.

"Always and always?"

"Always and always."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Age 15**

At long, long last it was time for the U.A. entrance exam. The night before the exam, I anxiously ran around the house. Excitement kept me from going to sleep at any decent hour.

Even when I did finally settle into bed (Baba and Papa had to practically hold me down), it did not last long.

"Good morning!" I shouted with utter excitement, throwing myself into Shōto's arms. The groggy boy barely reacted to my hug-tackle, since he was never a morning person. I could barely sleep the night before the exam, so pumped up and excited for it. As soon as my clock read 6:30, I hopped out of bed and started getting ready.

I tried to tame my curly bubble gum pink hair (it was long and seemed to be perpetually messy, no matter what I did with it. The curls would sometimes stick up at odd ends, like I had just rolled out of bed, or something. It was crazy embarrassing at times), giving up on it after ten minutes. Then I brushed my teeth, slipped on my white sweats, a pink long-sleeved shirt with the picture of a magical girl on it waving her wand, and white sneakers before grabbing my scarf and coat and teleporting straight to Shōto.

My friend had barely finished getting ready before I tackled into him.

" _Ugh_ ," Shōto moaned, staring bleary-eyed at me. The night owl took his time before waking up every day. "Why did I agree to get up this early?"

"So we can have breakfast together before the exam," I exclaimed, hopping up and down. "Come on, come on! Where do you wanna go? Panery's? Chochoo?"

"I don't care. I want to go back to bed."

"You can't. It's too late," I stated firmly, teleporting us to Panery's. "You better eat, too, or I'll steal your boxers again."

"Leave my boxers alone," he grouched.

"Only if you eat," I promised him.

He mumbled something under his breath (likely along the lines of _troublesome_ or _not worth_ or maybe even a despair-filled _why_ ), while I tugged him into line. Then I shoved my scarf into his arms, so I could slip on my red wool coat and button it up. Once that was done, I looked over at my friend, realizing that he didn't grab a coat.

"You're not wearing a coat on purpose, aren't you?" I asked him, eyeing him up and down. He kept to a simple gray sweater, and dark jeans.

"The cold doesn't bother me," Shōto said.

"Liar," I told him, then proceeded to wrap my scarf around him. "As long as you choose not use that other side of yours, you're as affected by the cold as I am. So hold onto that for me, okay? I won't accept it back until after the exam."

Shōto tugged down on the pink scarf, giving me a petulant look.

I beamed at him and grabbed his hand. "Now it's time to eat!"

I felt a buzz in my pocket, and I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.

 _ **Good luck**_ _!_ Izuku texted me.

A smile lit up my face. _**I'll see you there! I'll introduce you to my future husband. ;)**_

Izuku immediately replied back: _**I feel so sorry for him.**_

I couldn't resist laughing at that, and Shōto gave me a curious look. I offered my phone to him and he read over the messages before snorting and handing it back to me.

Shōto then blinked, as if realizing something. He pulled out something from his pocket and held it out to me. "I got a phone, now."

I gasped. "You actually bought a phone? I never would have guessed you'd give into peer pressure."

He gave me a irritable look. "I never needed a phone since I hardly left the compound. Put your number in."

I laughed at my friend's annoyance, before doing as told and handing it back to him. He fiddled with it for a moment before I felt my phone ding.

 _ **Hello. This is Shōto Todoroki.**_

My lips twitched as I fought to keep my grin in check. "You're a dork."

Shōto frowned at that.

"In fact, you're a-dork-able!"

"I'm not having breakfast with you now."

"Aww."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Cramming 15 years in 50 pages was surprisingly fun. Next chapter will start off exactly at the exams._

 _ **Question:**_ _What Quirk would you want?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	2. The First Day

**Welcome to my feel-good story. Hope you enjoy, and that I can take away at least some of your stress.**

 **Note: Next chapter will start with Aizawa's interlude to explain his actions in this chapter.**

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

Once we were done eating, I grabbed Shōto's hands and our fingers naturally intertwined. In my other hand I carried a small brown bag that was filled with tasty croissants. As we stepped out the door of the cafe, I brought us straight to Izuku.

Izuku blinked in surprise, but smiled widely upon seeing us. He was waiting for us at the entrance of the school. "Kiyo-chan!"

"Sunshine of mine," I greeted back enthusiastically. Then I noticed his lack of winter clothing and my eyes narrowed. "No gloves? No hat? No scarf? No winter coat?"

"You want to wear this?" Shōto asked, gesturing towards the pink scarf I forced upon him.

"Ah, no thanks," Izuku said, then smiled brightly. "You must be… Sho-chan?"

"Todoroki Shōto," Shōto introduced himself. "Shōto is fine, though. You are Cinnamon Roll Jr?"

"Midoriya Izuku," Izuku corrected with a small laugh. "L-Let's become good classmates."

Shōto nodded. "Yeah. I look forward to… studying with you?"

I held out the bag of croissants to Izuku. "Here, Izu-chan." Izuku took the bag, crinkling the top part of it with his tight grip. It was apparent then that he was still nervous about the exam. I patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, Izu-chan, you'll be wonderful."

Izuku only smiled nervously in response.

"I don't really know you," Shōto began, "but I'm sure you'll do okay."

"Thanks. Should we head inside now?"

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

Unfortunately we had all registered for the exam at different times. Since I was on a scholarship and the school had all of my information, Nezu registered me automatically as soon as the process started. As register 0001, I was assigned to the front row. Shōto was registered shortly after me, but he was still 0032, which put him on the opposite end of the front row as me. And Izuku was somewhere in the middle with 2231.

We bade each other our temporary goodbyes before taking our seats. I still made Shōto hold onto my pink scarf.

It took about half an hour for everyone in the hall to be seated. When it was time for orientation to begin, the lights began to turn on in the front and Present Mic appeared on stage. Behind him, the screen lit up with U.A. symbol.

"For all you examinee listeners tuning in, welcome to my show today!" Present Mic began with his usual enthusiasm. He stretched up his arms to the sky and shouted, "Everybody say _hey_!"

Shamelessly I stood up from my desk and shouted, " _Hey!_ "

I was the only one in the entire hall to do so, and I immediately felt all eyes on me. Unminding, I beamed at Present Mic.

Recognizing me as Nezu's fangirl (most teachers at the academy knew me by that point, since I had been at the academy at least three times a week for the past four years), he laughed. "Aha! At least there's one fun person amongst you all."

I beamed and took a bow before sitting back down. I could still feel the stares digging into the back of my head.

Present Mic's grin didn't falter. "Now I'll quickly present to you the rundown on the practical exam. Are you ready?!"

Anticipating the _yeah_ that always followed behind Present Mic, I shouted, " _Yeah_!" at the same time he did (no one else joined in, the losers).

Present Mic gave me a wink, and I felt my phone go off as more students stared at me.

I checked it. Shōto texted me, _**How dare**_ _**you call me the dork.**_

 _ **Dorks attract dorks, duh**_ _,_ I responded.

There was another text. That time from Katsuki, _**Shout again and I'll kill you.**_

Well.

What the hell did he expect me to do to that?

"I love you, too, Bocchan!" I shouted, turning my head around to the crowd.

I couldn't see him because it was pretty dark, but I had a feeling that Katsuki was red faced and furious.

"An-ny-wa-ay," Present Mic drawled out, unminding of my outburst and brimming with enthusiasm, "As it says in the application requirements you listeners will be conducting ten-minute mock urban battles after this. You can bring whatever you want with you. After the presentation, you'll head to the specified battle center, okay?"

"Okay," I shouted on behalf of the silent auditorium.

 _ **Oh my god please stop Kacchan is RIGHT next to me**_ _,_ Izuku texted me.

I responded, _**It'll be okay, dearie.**_

Then to poke the lion again, I texted Katsuki, _**;) ;) ;)**_

 _ **YOU ARE FUCKING DEAD.**_

 _ **Bring it, Tsundere-chan.**_

There was a sudden pain in the back of my head and my face flew forward onto the desk. I winced, rubbing the back of my head and I found that Katsuki had thrown his phone at me.

With damn good accuracy.

I pocketed his phone, deciding to give it back to him after I messed around with it for a bit.

Ignoring the drama happening around me, Present Mic continued with his speech, "Three different types of faux villains are stationed in each battle center. You earn points for each of them based on their level of difficulty. Your goal, dear listeners, is to use your Quirks to earn points by immobilizing the faux villains. Of course, attacking other examinees and any other unheroic actions are prohibited."

My phone vibrated. Shōto texted me, _**Did something hit the back of your head?**_

 _ **Yeah, Bocchan threw his phone at me because I embarrassed him. :D I'm okay, though, don't worry!**_

 _ **You**_ **do** _ **have a hard head.**_

I pouted at that.

"Excuse me!" a shout was heard from the crowd. The spotlight shown down as a young man stood up straight. "On the printout, there are four types of villains. If that is a misprint then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of that foolish mistake. We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be molded into exemplary heroes. In addition—" The boy pointed towards me. "Your shouting is distracting. Please stop."

"No," I rejected immediately. "If you can't handle a noise, then what are you going to do when hell breaks loose on your first assignment?"

Then to see if I could annoy the man further, I stuck out my tongue.

"Now, now, Kiyo-chan," Present Mic chided, immediately placating me, "Okay, Examinee 7111. Thanks for the great message." The screen behind Present Mic shifted to show the fourth faux villain on the print out. "The fourth type of villain is worth zero points. That guy's an obstacle, so to speak. There's one in every battle. An obstacle that will go crazy in narrow spaces. It is not impossible to defeat, but there's no reason to defeat it, either. I recommend that you listeners try to avoid it."

The man bowed, shouting clearly, "Thank you very much! Pardon the intrusion!"

He sat back down and the spotlight went out.

"That's all from me for right now," Present Mic declared. "Finally, I'll give you listeners a present—our school motto! The hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said: A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes."

 _(What about death's misfortunes?_ )

"Go beyond," Present Mic continued. "Plus Ultra! Now everyone, good luck in suffering!"

As soon as the lights turned back on, I gave a wink to Present Mic and he winked back cheerfully before leaving. I stayed in my seat as people began to leave, waiting for the hall to empty out before I teleported around.

The moment I stood up, however, I received a solid sucker punch into the gut by Katsuki.

I wheezed. " _Hrrr_."

Katsuki glared at me. "Phone. Now." I wordlessly handed it back to him. He looked it over, then stuffed it back in his pocket. "Thanks for the sh—the croissants. Bye, loser."

"Bye, buddy," I coughed. One punch in the gut wasn't too bad, all things considered. He certainly had done worse when I made the mistake of asking to spar with him. That seemed to open a door between us, though, because Katsuki became a lot more violent when he realized I could take what he dished out.

But, it was hard to take his actions personally or really be bothered by it. Katsuki simply had a hard time being sociable, and dealing with emotions and others. He was a genius when it came to combat, and academics, but anything and everything else threw him for a loop.

Over the summer, after school had closed out his only two "friends" stopped coming around. They were going to different high schools, after all, and neither of them considered it worth the effort to try to stay in contact with Katsuki.

He didn't have a lot of friends after that. Izuku and myself, really, and there was no way in hell Katsuki would admit that Izuku was his friend.

WIth me, he could tolerate because I didn't react to his rough personality in a negative connotation. I could take what he dished out, and serve it right back. I didn't question his strength, didn't make him feel insecure (typically), and in general, I sincerely tried to be supportive.

So the little fits he threw meant nothing. He didn't mean them (he definitely held back his punch), and I wasn't bothered by them.

There was no malice in Katsuki's eyes or tone when he talked or acted out.

He was a tsundere through and through.

Shōto walked up to me, his brow furrowed slightly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "Bocchan is simply very expressive with his emotions."

"That seems like an understatement."

"You're crazy," Izuku informed me as he hopped off the last step towards us. "Completely insane. Why would you antagonize him?"

I grinned in response. "Because he is a cute little angry duck. How could I _not_ tease him?"

Izuku shook his head, smiling at me. "So do you know where these testing centers are?"

"Yep! Tell me what you were assigned and I'll take you there."

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

Luckily for me, Shōto was at the same testing center as myself. Izuku had a different area, sadly.

But, that was okay because I knew he would be fine.

The door swung open, and Shōto squeezed my hand once before I teleported us to the center of the simulated city. Of course my teleportation couldn't work unless I had a person, or destination in mind. I couldn't clearly see the center of the city from a ground view with everything in the way, but I could raise my gaze up to the sky and teleport us up there to an approximate center.

The cold air greeted us, and we could see swarms of robots below. Shōto gave me a smirk, and I teleported us back onto the ground in the center of the city (many students were still rushing to reach the center), where we immediately began destroying the nearby robots. By the time the other contestants reached the center, we had already destroyed every robot in sight and I was whisking us away to another far off location.

It was fun, actually. Letting loose with my friend.

I didn't have a lot of opportunities to use the second part of my Quirk.

The Magi Quirk was common in most Europeans. Enough so that they had their own private boarding school. Those born with the Magi Quirk were reliant upon their wands, and typically around the age of five they would unlock the first part of their abilities: transformation or teleportation.

The Quirk user could not teleport strangers with them, but could only teleport people the "wand" approved of. This was typically anyone who the user was in contact with for a year or longer.

In addition, the user could not teleport anywhere near Magi Dust. I didn't know how Magi Dust was created, or what exactly it was since I never personally encountered it, but I knew it stopped Magi Quirk users teleporting in the surrounding area. I also knew that it could only be purchased from the boarding school, and that it was _expensive_.

My second, and final part, of my Quirk developed when I was ten. I could call forth up to three "blobs" of smooth, hard, pink material. I could conform and twist it into any shape I want. They typically came out as bubbles, the size of basketballs. The more I focused on one of them, the stronger they become. I could not stretch them out too much without them losing strength and becoming more and more transparent (a lot like bubble gum, actually). But I could control them freely.

Sometimes I liked to create one large bubble around myself and use it to carry me around. Other times I would flatten it out into a disc and throw it around willy-nilly.

It was a lot more costly to maintain rather than teleporting, but it was versatile in its uses. When time was up, I leapt up in joy. "Man we kicked _so_ much ass!"

"Mm-hmm." Shōto stretched his arms up. "We can head now, though, right?"

"Yeah. Hey, wanna go see a movie?"

"Sure. I'll buy."

"Yay, thank you. Wanna invite Izu-chan and Bocchan?"

Shōto nodded his head absently. "Whatever you want."

I whipped out my phone and asked Izuku, _**Going to the movies now that the exam is over, wanna come my darling sunshine?**_

And to Katsuki, I texted: _**Mooooovie time. You know you wanna come.**_

Katsuki almost immediately replied with a, _**Fuck no.**_

When Izuku didn't respond within the next five minutes, I decided to teleport over to him with Shōto.

I was startled to find my friend unconscious on a stretcher while one of Recovery Girl's assistants carried him to the infirmary. "Uh. Hi. What happened to Izu-chan?"

The assistant, who I did not remember the name of, gave a jump at our sudden appearance. "Oh. He's broken some bones. I'm supposed to take him to Recovery Girl. Are you his friend?"

"Yeah, may we come with?" I asked, gesturing towards Shōto and myself.

The assistant nodded his head. "Would you mind contacting his guardian, as well?"

"Sure thing."

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

Izuku would make a full recovery, thankfully. He woke up a couple hours later, with Inko fussing over him worriedly. Recovery Girl put him a sling and sent him on his way. I teleported both of them back to their home, before heading out to the movies with Shōto.

We ended up asking the ticket girl which movie was the best movie to see and she took one look at us before directing us to _Moonlight Strolls._

We got our popcorn to share and a drink for each of us and headed into the theatre.

While the previews played, we talked quietly.

"Any plans this weekend?" I asked him.

Shōto grabbed another handful of popcorn, frowning as he thought. "Father said he will be personally tutoring me until it was time to go to school. He took vacation day."

I winced, worry creasing my brow and I reached over to give his hand a squeeze.

That was about when the movie began with an incredibly sappy romantic scene.

Beside me, I felt Shōto stiffen, which made me reflexively stiffen.

I withdrew my hand, tucking it into my lap and watching the movie play. Shōto seemed incredibly awkward, for some reason, and I could only hope he would fall asleep soon.

Thankfully Shouto relaxed, his eyes drooping fifteen minutes into the film. When his head dropped onto my shoulder I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Shōto slept through the movie without any issue, and I got the rest of the popcorn for myself.

I woke him up once the movie was over, and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes before I dropped Shōto back off at home and went home myself.

Baba and Papa greeted me with a large dinner and many congratulations. It was a lovely way to end the day.

Come morning, I worked the farm for a bit and then worked my shift at the cafe.

We would know our results in a couple of days, and all of my friends were preoccupied with preparing to head to school to really hang out with me. Izuku kept thinking he failed, though, which was silly and I told him that he passed for sure.

Then on the day we got our results back, I got a text from Nezu to meet him in his office around ten.

With glee, I teleported to my mentor and sat down on his couch.

Nezu beamed at me. "Hello, Kiyo-chan. I have the results of your exam."

"Yay," I said, holding out my hands as Nezu placed the sheet of paper in them. "Oh my gosh I got second?"

"Mm-hmm. Teleporting Todoroki-san around counted as rescue points. Working together to bring down enemies is always encouraged in this business," Nezu said cheerfully. "You actually got the second highest rescue points in the exam, with your friend Midoriya-san taking first."

I beamed. "I knew he passed. What a silly, thinking he had failed."

Nezu laughed. "I'm glad you think so. I wanted to personally congratulate you for such an excellent showing, as well as check in on your homework."

Expecting such a thing, I pulled out a neat folder Nezu put together for me. In it contained numerous logic puzzles, complex scenarios to solve, and little bits of information Nezu thought essential for all heroes to know. The material wasn't covered in the school curriculum, because it wasn't deemed important enough to have a class to cover. However, Nezu still believed that everyone should know the stuff, and as such he assigned me to learn it.

I would agree with a lot of it. It was stuff like how to suture emergency wounds, what to do in case of amputation, etc. He was beginning to put psychological stuff in there (the minds of villains, for example), but he never relented in his logic puzzles.

 _Too many flounder in the face of a hard problem,_ he told me.

I wasn't very talented in his forward-thinking, but I had a gift for thinking unexpectedly.

 _Sporadic, and unpredictable_ , he would tell me.

( _Like someone we—I—we—I—we—I?—knew so long ago_ )

Nezu flipped through the folder, quickly examining my answers. "Mm. I'm glad you've been working on it, despite it not being due until next month."

"Of course," I said, preening at his praise. Disappointing Nezu after everything he had done for me was absolutely unthinkable.

"Good, good. I expect you to stay within the top percentage while you're here. Fall behind third seat and I'll have to do remedial lessons with you!"

I bowed. "I understand. I promise I won't let you down!"

Nezu patted my head with his soft paw. "I know. I'm sure you'll do great, my student. I didn't call you here simply to congratulate you, though. I have something for you."

Nezu went back over to his desk and pulled out a shiny black box. My heart leapt into my throat, and I felt a strong sense of gratitude wash over me. "Oh, Shishō, you don't have to—I mean, you've already done so much—"

"Don't be silly," Nezu scolded me. "This is something I'm sure you'll need." He offered me the box and I took it with careful hands.

Biting my lip, I brushed back my stubborn pink curls and carefully opened the box. Inside was a small white holster and strap. Curious, I looked back up at Nezu, seeing him smile warmly at me.

"It's a holster for your wand. You should keep your wand on your inner thigh," Nezu told me, taking out the holster. "It's the least likely area to be targeted or hit during combat. Your enemies will always aim for your chest."

"Oh, that makes sense."

Nezu flipped the holster over and showed me a tiny little slit. Large enough that when my wand fit inside, it could press against my skin so I could still draw my power from it. Nezu handed me the holster, and I was surprised at how heavy it was.

"It's built to take a beating," Nezu told me. "Could drop it from a skyscraper with an egg inside, and the egg wouldn't have a scratch."

That seemed a little unbelievable, but who was I question the physics of a world that had Quirks?

"Oh, wow. Thank you so much, Shishō."

Nezu patted my knee. "Think nothing of it. Use it well, okay?"

"I promise!"

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

The next day I appeared behind Katsuki before I threw myself at him and hug-tackled him. Without even missing a beat, he threw me over his shoulder and onto the ground, "What the fuck is wrong with you?! Stop greeting me like that, you fucking dumbass!"

With the wind knocked out of me, it took me a moment to recover before I could respond. I beamed at him. "Good morning, Bocchan!"

He still had a grip on my arm, and with a furious glare he twisted it to an uncomfortable angle. He continued to glower for a full minute before releasing me and letting out a short, frustrated sigh. I took the chance to hop back up, rubbing at my arm and looking around. I had teleported to his bedroom, apparently. The room was the perfect picture of cleanliness, with an abundance of action figures, and books neatly lined up in one of the many bookcases. There were video games stacked up beside a small T.V. and many consoles on the other side of it.

Katsuki himself was still in his pajamas, or at least his boxers and slippers. He pulled out a shirt and tugged it over himself before turning back to me and glaring. "The fuck are you still doing here? Get the hell out."

"Did you get your results back?" I asked excitedly, holding up a piece of paper that Nezu had given to me that morning. "Lookie, lookie!"

Katsuki grabbed the paper out of my hands, looking it over before a smug smirk crawled its way across his face. "Oh. Looks like you placed _second_."

"Yep! Nezu-sensei's super proud of me. He promised to give me his early copy of his next book as a reward," I declared happily, brimming with pride.

"Not bad, not bad," Katsuki drawled, heading over to his desk and lifting up a paper. A wicked grin stretched over his face in place of his smirk, but he still brimmed with smugness. "Is what I would normally say, but in comparison to myself you might as well be _last_. You're looking at number fucking one."

I gasped, grabbing his paper. "Holy smokes! You did it without earning _any_ rescue points, too. You must have been a beast."

Katsuki preened, scoffing. "It was ridiculously easy. How the fuck anyone could _not_ do well is beyond me."

I looked up. "Can I take a picture? I'll show it Izu-chan when I visit him."

Katsuki smirked. "Go right ahead. Show it off to that loser. Did he fail?"

"Nah, he did really great. Broke a few bones, though, but he got the most points in rescue than _anyone_ else did in the exam."

Katsuki's smirk faltered and he frowned. "What rank did he get?"

"Uhum, I don't know. I haven't seen his exact score. Nedzu-sensei told me about how he broke the record for rescue points earned, though. I guess no one else in the history of the exam focused on rescuing people."

"Kacchan?" A feminine voice called from outside the room. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Hang on, Kaa-san," Katsuki shouted out, then glared at me. "Leave already, will you?"

"But, but, I wanted to ask if you—"

The door opened to the room and a beautiful youthful woman entered the room. Her bright eyes widened upon seeing me and she let out a small giggle. "Oh. I didn't realize you had a visitor, Kacchan."

" _She was fucking leaving_ ," Katsuki hissed, giving me a mutinous look.

"Uh," was all I said. Then remembering my manners, I curtsied. "I'm Kiyomi, but my friends call me Kiyo. I'll be a classmate of Bacchan's next year at U.A."

Katsuki's mother made a _hmm_ sound, a smirk on her face (it reminded me quite a bit of Katsuki's). She looked over at her son, who was growing red in the face from anger. "Well, why don't you join us for breakfast, Kiyo-chan? It's okay I call you that, right?"

"Of course!"

"You can call me Mitsuki-chan, Nee-chan, or… Kaa-san," she offered, and Katsuki let out a funny choked noise. It made Mitsuki giggle and she wrapped an arm around her son before wrapping the other arm around me.

"Okay, Nee-chan," I agreed, smiling. "I don't want to impose, though. I only wanted to see if Bacchan would be okay to hang out this weekend."

"If you leave now, _fine_ ," he hissed.

"Bye-bye, then!"

"Aw," I heard Mitsuki whine before I teleported away.

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

I greeted Izuku with a big smile. "Hi, Izu-chan! I heard you did great."

Izuku gave me a grin. "I passed. I can't believe I did, though."

"I told you you would!"

"Yeah. I—thank you."

I smooshed his cheeks together. "What are best friends for? Now c'mon, let's go get some baked goodness."

He laughed with his smooshed cheeks. "Okay."

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

I wished I could visit Shōto, but his father was dominating his time. He didn't catch a breather until late at night, and he would send me a text saying he was too tired for company and was heading to bed.

I missed him, but I didn't want to cause him unnecessary stress, so I left him alone until it was time for our term to start in April.

The morning of my first day of school, I woke up to a text from Izuku.

 _ **Can you take me to where our class is? I'm not familiar with the academy.**_

I responded with a quick _**Yes! Of course! :)**_ before I hopped out of bed and started getting ready. Baba made me a big breakfast to eat with Papa and herself before I grabbed Izuku and went to class.

I took us to the front of the education building, holding his hand and pointing at each of the doors. "The door with one will lead to the first year hall, door with two leads to second year, and three leads to third year. We obviously use the first door for now."

Izuku nodded along, and I guided him through the hall. I pointed at different turns, explaining where the general education hall was, support, etc. The school was as beautiful and pristine as ever. I adored the school, and had nothing but fond memories of studying there in preparation for when I would finally attend school.

After years of hard work, I would finally get to go to U.A.!

"And here's our classroom," I said, ending with a flourish as I pointed towards the large door.

"W-Wow that's a big door."

"Uh-huh," I agreed. "Ready to start the day, Izu-chan?"

Izuku gave a firm nod, his cheeks a little rosy. I released his hand and opened the door with confidence.

The first thing we saw was that boy who got upset with me at the entrance exam actually trying to scold Katsuki. In a firm voice he said, "Don't put your feet on the desk!"

Katsuki was sitting in his chair, his right leg on the desk in front of him. There was a neatly wrapped pink bento box on his desk.

" _Huh_?" Katsuki sneered.

"Don't you think that's rude to the U.A. upperclassmen and the people who made the desk?" the boy demanded.

" _Nope_ ," Katsuki growled. "What junior high did you go to, you side character?"

The boy was first taken aback, then adjusted quickly. "I attended Somei Private Academy. My name is Iida Tenya."

"So-mei?" Katuski drawled out. "So you're a damn elite, huh? Looks like I'll have fun crushing you."

Tenya was shocked. " _Crushing_? That's cruel. Do you truly aim to be a hero?"

Deciding I had better intervene, I leapt into the room and dashed towards Katsuki. "Bocchan! Are you being a tsundere-chan again?"

" _Shut the fuck up!_ " Katsuki shrieked at me, grabbing the bento box and throwing it at me. "Here's your stupid lunch."

"Thanks, honey," I said cheerfully. "You're Iida-san, right? Hi, I'm Marin Notenshi Kiyomi, but please call me Kiyomi!"

"You're, ah, the one who acted out in the entrance exam," Tenya said, giving me a slight bow. "Nice to meet you, Kiyomi-san."

"Just Kiyomi," I reassured him. "We're going to be classmates, so you don't have have to be formal with me!"

He smiled. "Then I return the favor. Please call me Tenya."

Then he noticed Izuku standing awkwardly in the back. "You're—!"

"Izu-chan, come on in and properly introduce yourself," I instructed, about ready to grab his hand and pull him in.

Izuku must have sensed that because he quickly stepped inside and bowed towards Tenya. "I'm Midoriya Izuku. P-Pleasure to meet you."

I noticed Shōto sitting in the back, a seat next to him empty. I beamed at him and hurried over to him, letting Izuku do his own thing. "Sho-chan!"

"Hello," Shōto greeted me. I threw my arms around his shoulder and pulled him in tightly for a hug. He patted my back.

"I missed you," I told him, taking a seat beside him after I was done hugging. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shōto reassured me. "Is that a bento box?"

"Yeah. Bocchan lost a bet with me a while ago. He's gotta make my lunch every day for the first month now! _Heh-heh-heh_."

Shōto gave a wry smile. "That sounds dangerous. Is it poisoned?"

"Nah. Worst he'd do would put laxatives in it." I paused. I turned back towards Katsuki who was watching Izuku with narrowed eyes. "Bocchan did you put laxatives in my lunch?"

He flipped me off.

"Phew, he didn't," I said cheerfully.

Then a positively adorable girl appeared by the front door behind Izuku, beaming. I had the sudden desire to run over to her, hug her, and swing her around like a little princess. She was talking animatedly towards Izuku, and Izuku was growing redder in the face as she did so.

It made me giggle at the cute display and I nudged Shōto. "Lookie, lookie! Izu-chan has a little crush."

Shōto watched the exchange quietly. "Is that a good thing?'

"'Course it is, silly," I told him. "Crushes are fun!"

"Do you have a crush?"

I laughed, not answering his question.

There was more commotion at the door and in stepped Aizawa Aizawa, one of the teachers at the academy. I had run into him on plenty of occasions sions—such as teleporting into Nezu's office when he was there, or on my way to the library.

Despite our terrifying first meeting, I instantly warmed up to the man, much to his displeasure. I got a strong sense of comfort for him that I couldn't quite place, as well as a powerful fondness—even more so than Present Mic.

He was polite to me, if a bit distant at first, but he always answered questions I had (which mostly circled around some of Nezu's more convoluted logic puzzles)

"Everyone put this on and meet up at the grounds behind the building." Aizawa instructed, his voice coming out in a lazy drawl.

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

We had to get dressed in our sports outfit, so the class split up at the locker room.

I took the moment to introduce myself to the cute girl. "Hi! I'm Marin Notenshi Kiyomi, but please call me Kiyomi."

The cute girl beamed. "Oh wow you have a middle name?"

"Uh-huh. My papa actually comes from America."

"That's neat. I'm Uraraka Ochaco. Please go ahead and call me Ochaco since I can call you Kiyomi."

I smiled at her. "Thanks. I get the feeling we'll be good friends. Wanna walk out together?"

Ochaco returned my smile with one of her own. "I'd love to, thanks."

I offered her my arm, and Ochaco hesitated for a split second before she linked her own arm through it and off we went in our U.A. uniforms. The rest of the girls in the classroom followed behind us, because I had made it clear I was familiar with the academy grounds and knew exactly where he wanted us to go.

We met up with the boys about halfway there and Shōto walked on the opposite side of me, with Izuku beside him. We stepped outside and onto the dirt training field. Aizawa was waiting for us at a far end, sucking on some kind of drink pouch.

When the class arrived as one he said, "We'll be doing a Quirk assessment test."

"What about the entrance ceremony? The orientation?" Ochaco asked, unhooking her arm from mine.

"If you're going to become a hero, you don't have time for such leisurely events," Aizawa said flatly. "U.A.'s selling point is how unrestricted its school traditions are. That's also how teachers run their classes. You kids have been doing these since junior high, too, right?" Aizawa held up a black electronical device with blue kanji on it. "Physical fitness tests where you weren't allowed to use your Quirks. The country still uses averages taken from results from students not using their Quirks. It's not rational. Well, the Ministry of Education is procrastinating."

Aizawa put the device away, his eyes on Katsuki. "Bakugō, you finished first in the practical exams, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Katsuki said, frowning.

"In junior high, what was your best result for the softball throw?"

"Sixty seven meters," Katsuki responded.

"Then, try doing it with your Quirk." Katsuki shrugged, then moved over towards where a circle was chalked in the ground. He stood at the center, and Aizawa gave a curt nod, tossing him a ball. "You can do whatever you want as long as you stay in that circle. Hurry up. Give it all you've got."

With a bored expression on his face, Katsuki stretched his arms out first. Then he took a firm step and threw the ball, adding a blast onto the end of it. " _Die_!"

I laughed out loud at how so very like Katsuki that was.

"Know your maximum first," Aizawa muttered, turning back towards the class and holding up the black device again. On it, it read seven hundred and five point two meters. "That is the most rational way to form the foundation of a hero."

The class awed and began to excitedly chatter at the idea of getting to use their Quirks.

"That looks like fun," a pink-skin girl exclaimed.

"Finally!"

"We get to use our Quirks?! As expected of U.A.!"

I could practically hear the sneer in Aizawa's voice, despite his face remaining a perfect mask of indifference. " _Looks like fun_ , huh? You have three years to become a hero. Will you have an attitude like that the whole time? All right. Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished with expulsion."

The class gave out loud gasps, but I only grinned cheekily. Call me crazy, but I had a strong feeling that wouldn't happen. Aizawa noticed my grin and scoffed. "Give it your all, students. Demonstration is over, let's begin."

The first test was the fifty meter dash. I volunteered right away to go first, alongside Tenya, and another cute girl with frog-like qualities.

"Ready, start!"

I teleported towards the end, giving a bow as I did so.

".05!" The little robot chimed. "3.07," it said again when Tenya crossed the finish line. "5.58." After the froggy girl made it.

More and more people took their turn, although Izuku looked a little concerned.

Okay more than a little concerned.

When he finished his run, I approached him and squeezed his hand. "You okay, Izu-chan?"

"Ah—yeah," Izuku said, looking away, and anxiously twisting his hands.

' _Hmm. Is he really so concerned?'_

Next up was the grip test—which I used my bubbles for—then a standing long jump. Izuku looked even more worried after the grip test, so I decided to bend the rules a bit.

When it was Izuku's turn to jump, and he leapt with all his might, I formed a pink bubble underneath him before he landed and then shot him towards the far end.

"Wait isn't that cheating?" Tenya asked, looking over at me.

I grinned at Aizawa who was giving me an annoyed look. "He didn't say we had to use our Quirks exclusively for our own tests."

"Cheeky brat," Aizawa told me.

"Shoulda specified the rules," I said.

He gave a small nod, allowing the score to be added to Izuku, so Izuku wouldn't be in last place for that test. "Fine. No more using your Quirk to help, though."

"Party pooper."

"I know."

Izuku walked back over to me, giving me a thankful smile. "Th-Thanks, Kiyo-chan."

I patted his shoulder, then squished his cheeks. "Don't worry about it. You were clearly stressing out about it, and ya can't do that, you know? Take a deep breath, and calm yourself before you overthink it and can't use your Quirk."

Izuku's eyes were watery, but he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I made him do it several times until he had some semblance of calm.

"No matter what happens," I told him, "you'll still be a great hero."

That seemed to settle his nerves, and I stopped squishing his cheeks.

The tests went on, and Izuku struggled to keep from placing last. When it finally came to the ball-throwing contest, Izuku stood still for a solid minute before he threw the ball.

To my amazement, he threw it with such force that the ball soared high into the air, and with enough force that wind whipped around where Izuku still stood. Izuku stared at where he threw the ball in quiet surprise, then looked down at his hand.

I noticed the very tip top of his right index finger was bruised, but it didn't look particularly bad.

A huge grin split across his face and he turned towards me with triumph in his eyes. I clapped my hands. "Well done, Izu-chan!"

I noticed Aizawa watching our exchange with half-lidded eyes, and after another pat on Izuku's back, I headed over towards our teacher. "Something wrong, Sensei?"

"No," Aizawa said quietly, his gaze turned toward me. "He is... the one you mentioned? Trained by _CinnamonRoll_?"

A vague memory popped in my head, the first year I had officially met Aizawa. "Yes. You promised, remember!"

"I didn't promise," Aizawa corrected.

"Close enough. Look, if you have any doubts about Izu-chan you should talk to Cinnamon Roll-san! Although I'm not sure how you would..."

Aizawa gave another small nod, his lips twitching. "I have a good idea on how to contact… Cinnamon Roll-san."

"Good! I personally haven't been able to talk to him outside of training with Izu-chan. Do you know Cinnamon Roll-san?"

"You could say that," Aizawa answered, his lips twitching more violently before he finally let out a grin. "In fact, I bet you could find Cinnamon Roll-san at the academy."

I gasped. " _Really_?"

"Yes. Once you see him, you'll know right away. Do you greet him like you greet everyone else?"

"You mean a hug-tackle?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Of course! Do you want your hug tackle today?"

"Is it a holiday?"

"No," I admitted sadly, remembering that Aizawa would only allow physical contact on holidays, and even then only for a split second. Most of the other teachers were pretty okay with hugs, and many of the upperclassmen I had run into. A lot of them required a little bribery on my end (treats from the cafe, mostly), but it was well worth it. As a hug-craver, I had to meet my daily quota of hugs or I'd be heartbroken at the end of the day.

And there were simply so many wonderful people that I adored at U.A. They all deserved hugs.

"Then no," Aizawa told me. "But, be sure to greet Cinnamon Roll-san like usual, then. If you do… I may pat your head once in praise. If you somehow get it on video, I'll even allow a hug on a day that's not a holiday."

Happiness bloomed inside of me.

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

At the end of the tests Aizawa showed us the results—I placed second again with Katsuki above me, and boy was he smug about that!—and then offhandedly said, "I was lying about the expulsion, by the way."

As most of the class stiffened in surprise, Aizawa grinned cheekily. "It was a rational deception to draw out the upper limits of your Quirks."

"Rude," I called out, and his grin widened at my remark.

"With that, we're done here," Aizawa said, walking away. "There are handouts with curriculum and such in the classroom, so when you get back, look over them."

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

With the day over, I bid goodbye to Izuku (via hug), Ochaco (via hug), and Katsuki (via giving back the bento box and cooing on how feminine his cooking was) before I grabbed Shōto's hand and the two of us began a pleasant walk back towards his compound.

Neither of us were in enough of a hurry to teleport, and the day was far too pleasant not to enjoy.

I swung our hands back and forth, our fingers interlaced per usual. "What'dya think? Not bad for a first day."

"It was okay. Do you know Aizawa-sensei, too?"

"Uh-huh. He's a bit of a cactus on the outside, but he's honey on the inside. You can trust him to always do the right thing."

Shōto looked down at our hands, a small smile on his face. "Do you have work today?"

"Na-uh. But I do tomorrow after school."

"Want to come over after I train? We can work on our handouts."

"Mn! Yes please."

And on we walked, our shoulders brushing, small smiles on both our faces.

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

After a morning of typical classes (according to Izuku), and a lovely lunch (I thanked Katsuki again, and he flipped me off again), it was time for the much anticipated afternoon hero classes.

I stared at All Might, a frown on my face as a wiggling sense of familiarity penetrated my mind. I knew I had met him once, many months before, but that wouldn't explain why he seemed so damn familiar.

My brow furrowed and I leaned forward in my seat, letting out a hum. His voice, and especially his eyes, made me think of—of—

Well, I wasn't quite sure what they made me think of.

"I teach Hero Basic Training. It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn basics of being a hero. You'll take the most units of this subject." All Might struck a pose. "Let's get right into it. This is what we'll do today." He held out a card that read BATTLE. "Combat training!"

He then pointed at the wall to our far left that began to open up and reveal containers with numbers. "And to go with that are these! Costumes made based on your Quirk Registrations and requests you sent in before school started. After you change, gather in Ground Beta!"

It was at the tip of my tongue.

What did All Might remind me of?

"Something up?" Shōto asked me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I scratched my cheek. "Does All Might-sensei remind you of anyone?"

"No," Shōto replied. "You?"

"Yeah, but I can't seem to place it."

Beside me sat Izuku, who stiffened. "U-Um, maybe you watched too m-many All Might videos?"

"Nah. There's something behind it… Hmm..."

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

I was the first to finish changing and I teleported straight to Ground Beta in hopes of getting to talk to All Might a bit. Maybe that would trigger my memory.

"Afternoon, Sensei," I greeted, landing on the ground with a gentle click from my combat boots. My outfit was certainly reminisce to a magical girl/witch. I had short pink boots that ended halfway up my calves, with a bit of heel to them. I was accustomed to moving around in heels from my time at the cafe, and I found that I actually enjoyed the extra height.

I was painfully shorter than everyone else around me. Even with the extra height from heels, Izuku was still a solid three inches taller than me.

I wore thick white leggings that were resistant to tearing, and warm enough I could wear them in the winter. I had sleeveless white undershirt, and my overshirt was a pink corset. I had a fluffy—because who doesn't like fluffy?—pink skirt, and long gloves that ended on my upper arm. To finish the ensemble was a reddish witch's hat.

"Afternoon Kiyomi-chan," All Might returned in that booming voice of his. Then he grinned at me, and I realized why he was so familiar.

"CINNAMON ROLL-SAN!" I squealed, launching myself at him and hugging him as tightly as I could. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it."

"Ah—Um—I think you have me mistaken—"

"I know that smile anywhere," I told him, immediately dismissing his silly attempt to cover up. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, but you can't hide from me, Cinnamon Roll-san. I can't believe you're All Might. You're too cute to be such a billy bad ass."

Cinnamon Roll rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thank you? You can't let the other students know, though, Kiyo-chan."

"I promise," I told him seriously. "Can I call you Cutie-sensei, though? 'Cause you are a cutie patootie."

He laughed, patting my head. "All Might-sensei in front of the other students, but otherwise than that, sure."

I was about to respond, but I heard the footsteps of the other students, so I decided to step away.

Still.

' _I can't believe Izuku is being trained by All Might. Or that Cinnamon Roll is All Might._ '

Then remembering Aizawa's words yesterday, I looked around for the security camera. Once I found it, I grinned widely.

' _Hello future hug._ '

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

 _Cantrona (deviantART) drew a lovely picture of Kiyomi in her hero outfit for Inktober. Links on profile, so please check it out._

 _ **Answer**_ _: Arcane Warrior Quirk. Although the Gamer Quirk does sound like it would be fun, too._

 _ **Question**_ _: What about your hero / villain outfit? What would you wear into battle?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _._

* * *

◟(◕◡◕❀)

* * *

 **Extra** :

I flew through the halls, trying to get to the library as fast as I could without teleporting (as Nezu insisted I didn't become too reliant on teleporting, and that I knew my way around the academy). So preoccupied in my hurry, I wasn't able to stop when I ran into a head-on collision with one of the teachers.

He had dark hair, tired eyes, and was dressed in black and bandages. He stumbled a bit when I ran into him, his eyes narrowing.

"Ah, sorry, sorry," I said, bowing lowly. "I'm Marin Kiyomi. I'm so sorry for running into you. Do you need a hug?"

"Yes, I need a hug for you running into me," the man said, his voice flat. Hindsight I realized it was also laced with sarcasm, but I was in such a rush I didn't notice.

I hugged him. He froze.

Then I ran away.

Until a couple of bandages grabbed my foot and yanked me down. Turning my head, I let out a yip of surprise at seeing glowing red eyes. I tried to teleport away, but found that I was unable to. The man gave me a positively evil grin as he slowly had the bandages drag me closer towards him.

I shamelessly screamed in horror.

And that was how I met Aizawa.


	3. Shōta's Interlude And An Altercation

**Hello. May this chapter ease a bit of your burden from your day.**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Aizawa's Interlude (I)**

Shōta's eyes ached, as they did every day. He was on his way towards a faculty meeting after spending a solid hour grading homework, which really did not help ease the pain in his eyes. Re-reading the (essentially) same solution to his questions got old fast.

Even though Shōta _typically_ only assigned homework related directly to his students' line of work, he still assigned standard reading / writing material. It allowed him to see how his students' thought processes work, and it encouraged critical thinking.

Like the principal, Shōta was a fan of logic.

The sheer lack of logical heroes in the industry was a proper tragedy in the making. It only took one idiot with enough determination to cause a catastrophic mistake. It was one of the numerous reasons Shōta did not tolerate dumbasses in his class. Not only were they a potential threat to their fellow heroes, but they would only get themselves killed in real action.

Shōta raised a hand and rubbed at his right eye, giving it a brief moment of rest, before he continued walking slowly down the pristine U.A. hallway.

Unfortunately during that one split second he closed his eyes, a pinkette barreled into him.

He hadn't sensed her presence (which was odd upon further reflection of the incident), nor did he even hear her coming (again: another oddity in hindsight). One moment he was walking perfectly fine and the next he was being pushed back.

The girl fell flat on her butt from the force, while Shōta merely had to take a step back to readjust.

He assessed her quickly, his eyes narrowing.

She was in a white summer dress with an obnoxiously bright pink bow around her waist and tied in the back. Her matching, equally as irritatingly bright, pink hair looked like a mess of curls and he idly wondered if she ever bothered to brush it (not like he had much room to criticize). She was surprisingly athletic with calloused hands, and toned arms.

' _Hard worker; farmer? Dress, though, so childish. Age closer to ten. What's a child doing here?_ '

Her red eyes flew open and she looked properly mortified as she leapt back up.

"Ah, sorry, sorry," the girl said quickly bowing towards Shōta. "I'm Marin Kiyomi."

The name clicked in Shōta's head, and his eyes narrowed.

Nezu had mentioned that he had recently taken on an apprentice of sorts. The girl had conquered his written tests for a scholarship (which was impressive, as those exams aimed for third-years. The test itself wasn't meant to pass, or fail, but rather for Nezu to see the thought process of the examinee. The fact that she went ahead and scored well enough on it to pass spoke of a potentially bright mind, or at least someone who knew the material well enough), and passed his practical exam (which was the more important of the two). Nezu had been gleeful to have someone take such a passionate interest in his texts, and he admired the drive she presented.

Kiyomi was given a scholarship, paid for by Nezu, and permission to roam the academy grounds when she visited him. Most of the teachers had already ran into the girl after her first month, and described her as someone cheerful, and polite.

When any member of the faculty directly asked Nezu about the girl, Nezu _surprisingly_ only reiterated what he said previous. He refused to share more than obvious traits about the girl, and instead asked that the faculty watch out for her.

Shōta had gone out of his way to avoid her. He had no interest in catering to the whims of Nezu's latest little 'project'. He also had little patience for children, and even if she was booksmart, that did not equate to raw intelligence, or maturity.

"I'm so sorry for running into you," Kiyomi continued, a sheepish blush on her cheeks. "Do you need a hug?"

Shōta's lips twisted into a sneer at the naive question. In what convoluted sense would a _hug_ be an appropriate course of action after running into someone? His voice dripped with sarcasm as he replied, "Yes, I need a hug for you running into me."

Kiyomi didn't even blink as she then wrapped her arms around the tired man and squeezed.

Shōta froze, his entire posture stiffening at the sudden invasion of his personal space.

Shōta did not do hugs.

Shōta did not do _affection._

Before he could yank the girl off him, she was gone and hurrying about her merry little way.

Annoyance flared through Shōta as he watched her go.

' _Irrational little cheeky brat_ ,' Shōta thought, his eyes dark. If she was going to be running about the academy for a prolonged period of time, he would have to make it clear that going around and _hugging_ people (especially him) was not the acceptable answer to _anything_.

With that in mind, Shōta sent out his wraps and grabbed her foot, a humorless grin on his face.

Her scream of terror was actually rather funny.

The flock of teachers that rushed to her aid immediately thereafter was _not_ funny.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

After the lecture from Nezu not to terrify little girls, Shōta made it his goal to avoid the annoying pinkette for the rest of his life. It did not help that while he was being lectured the stupid little girl continuously gave him apologetic looks, and mouthed _sorry_ over and over.

Shōta left the office and headed home before the girl could corner him and apologize to him in front of Nezu. Nezu would expect Shōta to polite accept the girl's apology, or else Shōta could very well find himself doing morning duty for a solid year.

The next day after Shōta finished grading papers that goal proved to be harder than expected.

Kiyomi stood outside his classroom door, fidgeting anxiously with a basket of baked goods in her hands.

Shōta looked at her a brief second, then decided ignoring her would be in his best interest. Potential intelligence aside, she was still only an eleven year old girl. Surely, she lacked the self-discipline and self-esteem to pursue an apology after being obviously snubbed. He brushed past her and continued on his way, deciding to go home and finish work there.

"W-Wait," Kiyomi exclaimed, following after him. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I really, _really_ didn't mean to get you in trouble."

Shōta didn't respond, keeping the pace and staring straight ahead.

Kiyomi tried to hold out the basket of food towards him.

Shōta didn't stop.

Kiyomi's eyes narrowed, and she matched his pace. "I'm not going to simply give up because you're ignoring me. If you won't help me do this properly, I'll have to make you accept my apology!"

' _That's contradictory,_ ' Shōta thought. ' _Force an apology onto someone? Then you aren't truly apologetic._ '

"Shisho told me you're a cactus with honey," Kiyomi told him, "and that I gotta get past the thorns to be your friend. He said giving up would only encourage your behavior, and then I'll never get to be your friend."

' _In what way, shape, or form did I give the_ slightest _impression I wanted to be friends? Is she delusional?_ '

Kiyomi then smiled at him. "You better be prepared, Cactus-san! I'll get to the honey one way or another."

' _Is she really setting up an imaginary challenge for herself and dragging me into it?_ ' Shōta thought in quiet disbelief.

Then the girl did the unthinkable.

Again.

She dropped her basket and hugged him around the waist.

Shōta froze only for a second that time before he immediately shoved her off him. "Do not do that again."

"Hugs make everyone happy," Kiyomi protested, smiling. "Not ignoring me anymore?"

' _Insolent brat,_ ' Shōta thought, immediately feeling a rush of irritation that she caught him off guard with her unorthodox and completely uncalled for display of physical affection. With practiced ease Shōta quelled the useless emotion and shoved it aside. Feeling annoyed at someone when she bested him (even if it was in a rather stupid way) served no purpose and was a waste of energy.

Shōta turned to face her fully, his face morphed into that of indifference. "Forcing physical contact on someone who does not want it is assault. Desist the action and do not do so again."

Kiyomi kept smiling at his words, her eyes bright. "I suppose if you want to pervert something as innocent as a little girl hugging you into assault, sure."

Shōta didn't rise to the bait.

Kiyomi put her hands on her hip, a gleam in her eyes. "So you don't like hugs, then?"

"No," Shōta answered, thinking that would be obvious. Then again to someone as nonsensical as she was, perhaps she didn't realize obvious things.

"Then how about we make a little wager. I bet that, one year from today, I'll have gotten you to ask for a hug from me once. I win, you and I are friends forever. You win, I never ever bother you again. I'll be around the academy a lot in the years to come, so we'll see each other a lot unless I actively avoid you. And you don't want me around, right?"

Shōta resisted the urge to immediately snap out the rejection. It was certainly true that Shōta did not want to deal with such an irritation, and if she actively sought him out it would only prove more of a hassle for him. He couldn't expel her from the grounds because she was there with Nezu's blessing. And while the principal gave his teachers a _lot_ of leeway, something about the girl piqued his interest enough to allow her to roam free despite not being an actual student. He would be willing to bet a week's worth of sleep that Nezu wouldn't banish the girl from the grounds simply because she annoyed Shōta. She had already _endeared_ herself to the other faculty members and the day Present Mic shooed off a little girl who hugged him every time she saw him was the day it rained cats and dogs.

Having her choose to avoid him, though, would be an easy solution.

That being said Shōta _really_ did not want to play her little game.

One year of playing a game, with odds in his favor, for _years_ worth of silence from her?

Even if Shōta was personally against it, the logic won him over as it always did.

Still, the wager looked too easy. Shōta cocked his head. "Rules?"

"You have to willingly ask for the hug. Doesn't count if it's forced. No life-threatening situations, and no Quirks. At least _I_ won't use Quirks. What do you say? Seems like a perfectly reasonable solution to your little problem."

Shōta thought it over for a solid minute. If she wasn't able to force the words out of his mouth, that meant she would have to resort to clever tactics and words.

Shōta knew she was booksmart, but that did not equate to clever logic, or a cunning mindset. The fact that she had won over Nezu, and the principal insisted that she was a brilliant young girl did not phase Shōta in the slightest. Nezu always looked at the better traits of people, sometimes dismissing their negative attributes in favoring of encouraging them.

She was a child, furthermore, with no Quirk to enhance her mindset.

From the evidence presented to him Shōta concluded that there was no conceivable way that she would be able to convince him to request a hug from her.

He did think she was awfully arrogant for trying.

' _But that befits a child. Ignorance and arrogance are always in abundance with children. One of the many reasons hero training doesn't start until adolescence at the earliest. That kind of cocky attitude is what gets you and your team killed._ '

It would be in her best interest, really, if Shōta took that ego down a notch.

Shōta gave a curt nod. "Very well. I accept."

Kiyomi's eyes gleamed and a smirk crawled across her face. "Good. Prepare to lose to my cunning plans, Cactus-san."

The very idea made Shōta laugh.

Hindsight, he probably should have taken her a lot more serious.

Anyone who caught Nezu's interest was _not_ some silly little girl.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Shōta didn't see Kiyomi until the next day, where she stood waiting outside his office with a basket of delicious-smelling muffins. Kiyomi beamed at him, her red gaze bright with a touch of affection.

It disturbed Shōta to see that glimmer of affection in her eyes. He didn't really know her, and he hoped she didn't know him, so how could she be affectionate towards him; a stranger? Did she latch onto people and things so quickly?

How moronic.

Kiyomi held up the basket towards him. "Peace-offering."

Shōta didn't believe her, so he shook his head. "No, thanks."

She gave a small hum. "Okay. I'll put them in the lounge, then. Let's play a game! If I win, you ask for a hug. If you win, I won't ask for a rematch for a week."

"No," Shōta immediately denied. "I'm not going to play a game with you. That would be a waste of time and energy. Furthermore, I have no obligation to do so. The wager did not specify I had to entertain you with _games_."

Kiyomi let out a laugh. "That's true. Maybe in a couple days you'll change your mind. See ya later, Cactus-san!"

Then she was gone, and Shōta gave a small snort before heading home.

One year, and then she wouldn't bother him again.

' _What did Nezu see in that child?_ '

There wasn't a single point about the girl that matched up with Nezu's description of her. Nezu said she was a brilliant, driven, and cunning girl.

What was brilliant about an eleven year old child who pushed for challenges that she had no hope of winning? It was a waste of energy on everyone's part and only served to reiterate the fact that she was immature and the antithesis of brilliant.

Driven? Maybe Shōta could give her that point. She certainly seemed determined to annoy him.

 _Cunning_?

The very idea made Shōta want to laugh. The girl who ran headfirst down a hallway without paying attention to her surroundings; the girl who screamed in terror so quickly; the girl who tried to force an apology onto Shōta, and then resorted to a petulant wager when he dismissed her.

If Marin Kiyomi was cunning Shōta would eat his bandages.

The girl was so opposite of Nezu's statement, Shōta honestly doubted his assessment.

' _Too optimistic,_ ' Shōta thought. ' _Maybe even projecting hopeful thoughts onto her instead of facing reality._ '

Shōta shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he thought back over his encounters with her. With the evidence presented Shōta drew his own entirely rational opinion of the girl.

That is to say: Kiyomi was a silly little girl with as much intelligence and cunning as any eleven year old.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Three days later, Shōta was in pain. It was an unreasonably hot and dry day, making his eyes itch and sting. Blinking did nothing to absolve the issue, and he was couldn't find his eye drops. To top it off, the school's humidifier and AC had broken overnight, and Nezu said they wouldn't be able to fix it until tomorrow evening.

By the end of class Shōta only wanted to crawl into his bed and rest ice cubes over his eyes. The final bell could _not_ have come sooner.

When his small class let out (he had expelled several students at the beginning of the term for sheer stupidity), he shouldn't have been surprised that _she_ would be waiting for him.

Kiyomi gave him a grin, holding up treasured eye drops. "Want these?"

Shōta's lips pursed as he brushed past her. He'd go to the nearby supermarket on his way home and pick up more. "No, thanks."

Kiyomi let out a laugh, her grin stretching wider. "I bought out all the eye drops from the surrounding stores. C'mon, I know your tired eyes have to be hurting. All you have to do is say you'll play a game with me tomorrow with the stipulation that if I win, you ask for a hug. If you win, I leave you alone for a week."

Shōta snorted, steadfastly ignoring her. He would not play her game. She'd choose something ridiculous to play and angled in her favor.

"You can even choose the game."

He paused.

He turned back to her, eyebrow raised. "I choose the game?"

"Mm-hmm."

Oh, how he would make her regret that.

"Okay. Come by tomorrow at five."

Kiyomi handed him the soothing eye drops and bowed. "Thanks, Cactus-san! See ya tomorrow."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Shōta wasn't surprised to see Kiyomi waiting for him expectantly the next day, right on the dot. Nor was he surprised to see that same smile, and same gleam of affection in her eyes.

He gave her a grin, anticipating seeing that smile fall when he told her his game.

"It's simple," he said, "I made it up myself. Convince me to jump off a bridge. You can only use your words, and you have three hours to do so. I call it: Persuade Me to Jump Off a Bridge."

Three hours would give him plenty of time to power nap, and hopefully encourage her to lose interest. What brat could sit still and talk for the three hours straight?

Her eyes widened a bit at the game, and her smile slipped as she chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. Then she let out a small laugh and said, "Okay. Perhaps we should move to somewhere more comfortable though, since I'll be using all three hours."

Shōta agreed with that sentiment, guiding her to a lounge that wasn't often used by the other teachers since it had an odd musty smell no one could get rid of. He laid down on the couch and closed his eyes.

There were no rules in his game that he had to stay awake.

Kiyomi sat down on the coffee table, took a deep breath, and then began to weave a lovely tale. It had absolutely nothing to do with jumping off bridges, or really anything in relation to the game. It was a sweet tale about three friends training to become ninja. Shōta listened to the tale in spite of himself, oddly drawn into it. Kiyomi had a way with her words and tone, and he was instantly reminded of a mother lovingly telling a bedtime story to her children.

About ninety minutes into the story, Shōta was entirely (in spite of himself) enraptured in her story.

When the clock chimed, signaling the three hours were up, Shōta was sat up on the couch, frowning at her. "You lost."

"This time," Kiyomi agreed with a smile.

"Let me guess, if I want the ending I have to play the game with you again?"

"It'll take multiple games to reach the end, I'm afraid," Kiyomi answered him.

"How do you know that story?" Shōta asked, honestly curious. He had read his fair share of novels and the story wasn't familiar.

She shrugged, getting up and stretching. "It's a story I know like the back of my hand. I'll see you next week."

While the story was certainly good, and she was an excellent teller, Shōta didn't feel overtly compelled enough to warrant agreeing to another game. Shōta scratched his cheek, wondering if Kiyomi honestly thought her story was good enough he would agree to another game.

' _She's a ridiculous girl,_ ' Shōta thought, ' _so probably_.'

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Ah, Aizawa-san," Nezu called out, forcing Shōta to pause in his departure. It was the following weekday after Kiyomi agreed not to ask for a rematch for a week. Shōta had come by Nezu's office to pick up the requirements Nezu wanted all first years to go over before the next big exam. "Kiyo-chan told me about the game you're playing."

Shōta's lips twitched. "And?"

"Don't underestimate her," Nezu warned him, his tone teasing and an amused gleam entered his eyes. "She's a brilliant, ah, individual."

Shōta resisted the urge to verbally disagree with that sentiment. He settled for a carefully neutral response, "Marin-san is certainly charismatic."

Nezu chortled. "Yes, yes, yes. Ah, well, I've given you my warning."

"Duly noted," Shōta said flatly.

"Mm-hmm." Then Nezu paused. "Well, if you truly don't believe me, challenge her to a game of shogi."

" _Shogi_?" Shōta repeated, incredulous.

Nezu nodded. "I know you're well experienced with the game, since you're the faculty's reigning champion, after all."

"Shogi is a game of patience, I doubt Marin-san would be able to sit through an entire game."

"I've played with her before," Nezu answered, "and she, ah, perhaps it would be better for you to see for yourself. I trust _you_ would be able to handle her appropriately."

Shōta's lips tugged down and his brow creased at the odd choice of words. "Something I should know?"

"Something you really should see for yourself," Nezu said softly, quietly. "Please be sure only the two of you are in the room when you play. For your sake, as well as Kiyomi's."

Shōta thought about pressing Nezu for more information, but decided against it. It had already been established that Nezu was oddly tight-lipped when talking about the girl aside from the fact that she had great potential, and he liked her. His cryptic words made Shōta's mind itch as he tried to think them over and solve them, but he simply didn't have enough evidence to do so.

So he left the office, wondering if he should challenge her to shogi.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When she returned a week later she held out another basket of deliciously baked goods. The instant Shōta saw them, the pieces fell together and he realized what game she was playing at.

She would first offer a positive incentive (food in this example) for him to play a game with her. In failing that, she would switch to negative reinforcement (the dry eyes from last week) and blackmail, threaten, or who knew what else in order to get what she wanted.

Shōta hesitated at seeing her. The dry eyes weren't pleasant, and he had a feeling that she had been the one to orchestrate the broken AC and humidifier. It was even possible that she had persuaded Nezu to assist in their little wager (and the principal would because it would amuse him to watch Shōta deal with his bubbly student, and it seemed Nezu wanted Shōta to challenge her to shogi).

With that in mind, she could make his life rather unpleasant to an extreme degree if she put her mind to it. She was dedicated enough to go the extra mile, and despite it being almost a couple weeks now into their wager, she had shown no signs of wavering.

If it was a choice between accepting the positive incentive, or dealing with the negative reinforcement, the logical choice was clear.

Shōta took the offered basket. "Same game as last week, same wages."

Kiyomi beamed at him, brimming with utter joy.

' _What a nuisance,_ ' Shōta thought, nibbling on the delicious blueberry muffin. ' _Mn. Pretty good._ '

Again they headed towards the lounge, and while Shōta ate and relaxed, she continued her tale.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

They settled into that routine for five months. Once a week Kiyomi would gift him with scrumptious homemade goods, and he would tell her to convince him to jump off a bridge. She never tried to honestly persuade him, but instead she would tell a story, or talk about herself.

When she finished the (surprisingly twisty) ninja story, she moved on to a story about witches and wizards, then another story about warriors fighting for survival. Shōta actually enjoyed listening to her tales. She was naturally charismatic, and she spoke as if she personally was invested in the stories. She had to pause to wipe away tears at certain points, her voice shaky and cracking. She had to catch her breath to recover from laughing too hard (and indeed Shōta even chuckled at a few points). Her voice rose and lowered at certain parts, depending on the mood of the story.

If anything, Shōta had to admit she was an excellent story teller.

When her stories came to an end, though, before she picked up the next one she would talk about herself.

She told him about her Baba and Papa, how she was self-taught (which impressed Shōta, if only for the self-discipline required for such a feat). She told him how she worried about them when she wasn't there, and how she loved baking with Baba because it made Baba so very happy.

She told him how she was afraid she might have her mother's Quirk. How she avoided certain foods, citing them as an allergy, because of that fear.

She would ask things about him, small things that Shōta felt comfortable sharing (such as favorite tea, if he had a preferred snack she brought, etc). Nothing personal enough that he wouldn't share with coworkers.

Shōta reassessed his first opinion of Kiyomi as the months went by. She still struck him as someone very silly, and not to be taken serious on most occasions, but she had her moments of genius. Clearly, someone who regularly played shogi and chess with Nezu, _and won_ , was not an idiot.

Even if she did act like one.

Into the sixth month of their wager, Shōta decided to change things up a bit. "Let's play something different."

Kiyomi smiled at him. "Okay. What shall we play?"

"You have the new homework Nezu gave you?"

"Yeah," Kiyomi said. "Do you want me to get it?"

"Yes," Shōta said, taking a seat on the couch. Kiyomi disappeared from his view for five seconds before reappearing with an orange folder. Shōta took it from her and flipped through it before finding the packet of logic puzzles Nezu devised. He brought it over to the copier and copied ten of the problems before heading back to Kiyomi. He handed her the original packet and took ten for himself. "This is another simple game. You fill out those ten, while I work on these. Whoever finishes all ten problems first, with each of them being correct, wins."

Kiyomi's eyes danced. "You don't want me to convince you to jump off a bridge?"

"I'm feeling uncharacteristically curious," Shōta dismissed. "Let's see how you work these."

Without needing further incentive, Kiyomi grabbed a pen. When the clock struck at exactly four o'clock, the two began.

Shōta finished first, of course. He had designed a couple of the logic problems himself for the third year exams, and the problems Nezu gave Kiyomi were strikingly similar. It was still an unfair advantage towards Shōta, but that didn't matter at this point. He had no intentions of giving Kiyomi such an easy win, but he had to admit that she had honestly piqued his curiosity enough to properly test her.

Like mold she had grown on him, sort of. He didn't view her with dislike, per say, and still thought she had an annoying personality, but he didn't detest her company anymore. She was supposed to be very smart, according to Nezu, but Shōta had yet to truly see that brilliance in his encounters. Perhaps if he judged her like his students, and was able to see how her thought process worked, then hopefully he would have his answer and his curiosity would be sated. Then he could go back to listening her tales for the rest of the year and never have to be bothered by her again.

When Kiyomi finished, she handed him her paper and took a bow. They both knew Shōta won that game, so she took her leave and let him examine her work.

His eyes flickered over the problems and a ghost of a smile tugged on his lips.

On each problem read the same line: _We both know you'll win this test. If you want to see how I think, try a different game._

Then at the bottom, what she had spent the majority of her time on, was a picture of her hugging a cactus with his hair drawn on it.

' _Cheeky little brat,_ ' Shōta thought, not unkindly.

He wasn't going to let her have her way so easily, though. Another month of the bridge game ticked by (and she told a tragic tale that left Shōta feeling rather depressed at the end of it) before Shōta proposed a different game. He had thought long and hard about which game to have her play, and finally came back to Nezu's words.

If he wanted to see how she thought, it seemed he would have to play her at shogi.

He knew that the playing field leveled out a bit more in her favor by proposing the game, but he thought she earned at least a little bit of a chance by that point.

Most eleven year olds would have given up by that point, so it slightly impressed Shōta that she had not.

"Shogi," he muttered, taking the entire basket of baked goods from her hands.

Kiyomi smiled at him. "Okay. Can we make it two out of three? In exchange if I lose the overall, I leave you alone for a month."

Shōta reflected on it, and then gave a nod.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

They set up the game, and Shōta allowed her the first move. While they played Kiyomi talked quietly about the things that had happened recently. She talked about beginning to spar with her friend, Sho-chan, and her odd dreams of hundreds of faceless people standing behind her.

"Interesting move," Kiyomi commented, her tone oddly absent as her eyes became glued on Shōta's piece.

"Climbing Silver," Shōta muttered.

Kiyomi's entire body froze, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping open. The reaction was odd enough that Shōta instinctively stiffened, wondering if he should be calling for assistance, but then her body relaxed.

Her mouth shut, and her gaze drifted towards the sky.

It was her turn, and Shōta patiently waited for her to return to the game. Shogi was meant to be a game of patience, after all.

Then Kiyomi _looked_ at Shōta.

Shōta reflexively froze under that gaze, his back stiffening and his eyes burning from the use of his Quirk. He had to consciously relax his Quirk, but he wasn't able to quell the sense of wrongness that permeated his thoughts when she looked at him.

Her gaze was not that of an adoring child, indeed there was nothing childish about her eyes. Without breaking his gaze, she moved her piece and he followed suit.

The game had changed.

It was no longer an easy, relaxing game for Shōta. An tense atmosphere hung around them as Kiyomi continued stare at him with dark eyes and a humorless smile. Her moves were quick, taking less than a second for her to respond to his. Shōta had initially dominated in the game, but since her turn around in personality—for what else could Shōta call it?—she had pressed back with a vengeance.

Words were no longer spoken in that terse silence. Shōta was not the conversationalist sort, and Kiyomi wasn't interested in talking anymore, it seemed.

Shōta won.

 _Barely_.

The second game started up without a comment or sound, and Shōta realized he was in for a difficult game.

Her gaze had yet to tear away from Shōta's, and as the game pressed on her smile stretched wider.

It unnerved Shōta. He wasn't scared of her, per say, but it disturbed him to see such an odd switch in someone so young. She had a Magi Quirk, and neither parts of her Quirk involved a second personality, or a sudden talent in shogi. Even if she got her dreaded biological mother's Quirk, it wouldn't explain what was happening.

' _Is this what Nezu sees?_ ' Shōta wondered, his thoughts circling around Nezu's warning. ' _Was the persona I first met only an act? Is this Kiyomi's true personality?_ '

She had him cornered within ten minutes of the second game.

She won it in the following two minutes.

As the third game started up she finally broke the silence, "Do you make it a habit of underestimating someone?"

"No," Shōta answered honestly, a slight frown marring his face and creasing his brows. "Your deceit was clever, I admit. You honestly had me fooled."

"It was no deceit," Kiyomi responded absently, her dark gaze finally tearing away from Shōta's. Shōta hadn't realized how tense he had been matching her sight until she broke away. "I _am_ fond of you."

"Why?" Shōta asked, not really curious about the question, but not wanting an uncomfortable silence again.

"All Might is a cinnamon roll," Kiyomi murmured instead. "Treat Izuku well when you meet him. He needs your support to be the greatest hero."

Shōta blinked, honestly thrown for a loop at those words. "Izuku?"

"Remember these words," Kiyomi continued, her tone growing a bit lighter and kinder, "because I won't."

A piece of the puzzle fell into place.

' _A Seer Quirk?_ ' Shōta thought. ' _Seers don't typically have a switch in personality, unless…_ '

"Do you know more than one event at a time?" Shōta asked.

"Yes," she answered quietly, her shoulders drooping. She breathed out her answer like a dirty confession, an unspoken burden pressed heavily upon her.

A Seer typically only knew one event at a time. It allowed them to mentally age and mature with their ability. Knowing more than one—knowing _years_ ' worth—would force anyone to age rapidly during the time they held that knowledge. If Kiyomi had a second Quirk, either inherited, or as a newblood, and she remembered years' worth of information at a time, it would explain the change in personality.

It wasn't a new personality, but rather Kiyomi with years of mental experience added on.

Shōta was tempted to add that the game didn't count since Kiyomi was using her Quirk and that wasn't allowed in the rules, but he decided against it. It didn't seem like it was something Kiyomi could control (many Seers had difficulty in doing so), and the thought of using it as an excuse to worm out of a loss didn't sit well with Shōta.

A loss was a loss.

He didn't heed Nezu's warning to take her seriously, and he openly took the bait Nezu laid before him about challenging her to shogi. It was an error on Shōta's part, Shōta ought to take responsibility for that.

If it meant having to ask for a hug, and deal with the bubbly child for a prolonged period of time, then so be it.

It would certainly serve to remind him to never make that mistake again.

"Promise me," Kiyomi suddenly pleaded, "that you'll be kind to Izuku. Cinnamon Roll-san won't always be there for him, and you know how silly he can be. Please."

' _Be kind to Izuku? A kid related to Cinnamon Roll—wait she said All Might was a cinnamon roll. So, a kid related to All Might?_ '

"Is it truly important?" Shōta asked instead.

" _Yes_ ," Kiyomi pressed, her eyes watering. "I can't—Messing with Wyrd is dangerous. Please, be nice to him, though. Please guide him."

"Okay," Shōta agreed after seeing how important it was. Kiyomi immediately relaxed at his words and she let out a long sigh of relief.

' _That essential, huh?_ '

Kiyomi had him cornered again, and Shōta cocked his head. "Did you foresee this match?"

"No," Kiyomi responded. "You're good, but you're not Nara, or Wayne, good."

Shōta mentally filed those names away for later.

When Kiyomi won the game, her body sagged and a dazed look entered her eyes. Shōta put away the board and pieces, allowing the child to recollect herself. Once he was finished he took a seat and continued to wait.

Kiyomi stared at the ceiling, her eyes unfocused. She was quiet for another few minutes after Shōta sat down before her body jerked and she leapt up from her chair. Her normal attitude returned, with her eyes bright and a smile on her face. "I won! I think. Um. What happened?"

"You won," Shōta reassured her, wondering if she already knew about her Seer Quirk. The other her mentioned that she would forget, so Shōta doubted it.

' _Does Nezu already know?_ '

That would be a question to find out shortly.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Nezu offered Shōta a warm cup of tea before he took a seat at his desk. Shōta stared down at the ember colored liquid before taking a tentative sip. Warmth immediately entered his system, settling his heart and causing his eyes to droop.

Nezu drank his tea before he cleared his throat. "So you played shogi with her?"

"Yes," Shōta answered, frowning. He didn't care too much for the next part, but it needed to be said. "You were right. I was wrong to underestimate her. Do you know about her Seer Quirk?"

Nezu cocked his head. "Is that what you think it is?"

"She said she knew of multiple events to come," Shōta answered, "it's the only logical conclusion."

"Is it, though?" Nezu murmured softly. "I disagree Kiyomi has a Seer Quirk."

Shōta blinked in genuine surprise at that. "What do you propose it is, then?"

"Mn. I'll save my thoughts for now," Nezu answered, "and I would encourage you to continue to look closely at Kiyomi. Watch for the little things. I'll give you a year, Aizawa-san, and then I'll be curious to see if your explanation is close to my own."

Shōta scratched his right cheek. Observation was easy enough, and he would be mindful of Kiyomi now that he was aware there was more to her. Doubting Nezu had already cost him a wager, so Shōta was disinclined to do so again anytime soon. If there was more to Kiyomi, something that was not a Seer Quirk, then Shōta would find out one way or another.

"Oh, and," Nezu added with a cheerful note, "please don't let anyone else know about Kiyomi. She's had some bad prior experiences with the wrong sort finding out."

' _Bad prior experiences?_ '

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Kiyomi made it a point to visit Shōta every time she visited Nezu. If Nezu was too busy to entertain her, she immediately went to Shōta. Even if Shōta was teaching a class, she would summon forth a bubble, sit on it, and wait for him. Most of the time Shōta walked out of the classroom and looked up to find her nearly dozing on the bubble she conjured.

Shōta did not stay at the school to entertain her, though, "friend" or not. He greeted her with a curt nod and allowed her to walk with him out of the school before he shooed her back to Nezu.

One such day, Kiyomi walked through the halls as Shōta mulled over his past encounters with her. Then he noticed something that he didn't put much stock into prior to his conversation with Nezu. As Kiyomi rounded the corner, a skip in her step and a song on her lips, her footsteps made no sound.

Even as Shōta strained to hear them, he was surprised that he couldn't. They were entirely silent, despite the supposed weight Kiyomi put on them through her skipping.

It was such a minor thing Shōta doubted many others would have noticed. Indeed, even if they did notice it was unlikely they would ponder on it. So what if a girl walked quietly?

That would be a mistake, though, to dismiss it off handedly. If she walked quietly on occasion they could pass it as coincidence.

But to walk everywhere _always_ without a noise from her footsteps?

Shōta knew only a handful of people who did such a thing, and it seemed odd to correlate them with the bubbly girl in front of him.

Assassins learned to walk without making a sound.

Snipers.

Soldiers.

 _Hunters_.

The heroes that Shōta knew who walked without a sound were heroes that exclusively worked in hunting down wanted criminals. They moved without rustling a single leaf, or allowing the tiniest of creaks to escape from a floorboard. The slightest hint of their presence would spell the end for either them, or their mission.

Those people, though, worked for _years_ to acquire that habit.

How did an eleven year old _child_ already know to do so?

"Kiyomi," Shōta called to her.

She paused in her skips and turned around. "Yes Cactus-chan?"

"Did you know you walk without making a sound?"

She blinked. "Oh. That's cool."

"Did you try to learn how to do so?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I guess some people have really light step!"

Not bothering to correct her, Shōta merely shrugged, and allowed their walk to continue.

' _Left over from Seering?_ '

But, no. The memories were gone from her after had her moments, according to Nezu. So how did she know how to walk like such?

How did it become a habit?

What did Nezu know?

Shōta had a lot of questions about Kiyomi, and extremely few answers.

Hopefully, in time, that would be corrected.

Kiyomi paused and turned back towards him and grinned. "Do you need another hug?"

"Yes. I need another hug," Shōta bit out sarcastically.

She leapt at him, and prepared, Shōta flipped her over his shoulder and smirked. "What's wrong? Do I not get a hug?"

She hopped back up, a gleam in her eyes. "Oh, you are _so_ getting your hug."

"We'll see."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Returning to the present, Kiyomi**

"You look super-duper cute, Ocha-chan," I told Ochaco when she came out of the hallway in her hero costume. Her skintight bodysuit with blue and pink looked positively adorable on the blushing girl.

Ochaco raised her hands up to her cheeks, sheepishly looking away. "Thanks, Kiyomi-chan. Ah, may I call you Kiyo-chan?"

"Of course," I said cheerfully. "Are you excited?"

Ochaco nodded her head, a smile on her face. "Mm-hmm! It's so neat that All Might is our teacher."

Shōto turned his head at her words. He had been standing beside me since he came out of the tunnel, close enough that when I moved about my shoulder brushed against his. "All Might requested to teach this year."

"Oh, really? How do you know that?"

Shōto nodded towards me and I rubbed the back of my head. "My shisho is Nezu, the principal."

Ochaco's eyes widened. "Oh wow! Were you recommended?"

"Sorta. I'm on a scholarship, so I still had to take the exams," I confessed.

"They do scholarships?" Ochaco asked, her posture straightening and gaze focused. "How do you apply for one?"

Surprised at her sudden intensity, I said, "Take a written and practical exam. You have to stay within the top percentage while you're here, too. After school today I have to go to work, but tomorrow I'm free if you want to go to the office together. I can introduce you to everyone."

Ochaco's head bobbed up and down rapidly. "Yes, please! I-I would really appreciate it if I could get a scholarship."

"Okay, I'll be happy to help, then," I answered, smiling warmly at her.

"Looks like everyone's here," Izuku commented as he exited the tunnel and headed towards us. He gave me a grin, and then noticed Ochaco and proceeded to turn ten shades of red.

"That looks really cool," Ochaco told Izuku, then glancing down at her costume. "I wish I had been a bit more specific in my designs."

Izuku fidgeted anxiously, wringing his hands. "I-I think you look n-nice, Uraraka-san."

"Eh? So formal with such a sweetie like Ocha-chan, what'sa matter with you, Izu-chan?" I cooed, delighting in teasing my friend.

Ochaco laughed while Izuku scrambled to find an answer. "U-Um, I-I-I, u- _um_ —"

"There's nothing wrong with showing someone proper respect by being polite," Shōto said quietly. Izuku's eyes watered as he beamed in gratitude for Shōto's answer.

Izuku nodded furiously. "Yes, yes! I'm o-only showing her pr-proper respect."

I shot Shōto a look of annoyance and he smirked back at me.

"Now that everyone's here," Cinnamon—er—All Might began with that booming voice of his, "let's get started: it's time for combat training."

"Sensei," Iida immediately said, raising his hand up to be level with his face. He looked pretty neat in his knight-like armor. "This is the battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?"

All Might held up two fingers. "No, we're going to move ahead two steps! Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate. Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals—In this society filled with heroes truly intelligent villains hide in the shadows!"

( _All—for—_ _ **Who?**_ _)_

"For this class you'll be split into villains and heroes and fight 2-on-2," All Might finished.

"Without basic training?" A frog-like girl in our class asked, tilting her head and frowning thoughtfully.

All Might grinned. "This is a real battle to understand those basics! However, the key this time is that there's no robot you can simply beat up."

"How will wins and losses be determined?" Another girl with a rather busty chest asked.

"Can we beat them up anyway?" Katsuki immediately asked.

"Can we go out for cinnamon rolls when we're done?" I wondered.

"How shall we be split up?"

All Might looked a tad flustered at our questions. He pulled out a small bundle of neatly folded papers and opened them. "I shall answer all your questions, so listen here. The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The heroes are trying to dispose of that. The heroes need to catch the villains, or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time. The villains need to protect the nuclear weapon for the whole time, or catch the heroes. Teams and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!"

All Might held up a golden-colored lottery box.

Iida gasped in surprise. "They're being decided so haphazardly?"

"Pros often have to create makeshift teams with heroes from other agencies, so maybe that's why?" Izuku offered.

" _I see_. The discernment to look ahead," Iida mumbled. Then he raised his voice and clearly said while bowing, "Please excuse my rudeness!"

"It's fine. Let's do this quickly!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Team A: Izuku and Ochaco_

 _Team B: Shōto and Mezo_

 _Team C: Momo and Minoru_

 _Team D: Katsuki and Iida_

 _Taem E: Mina and Kyoka_

 _Team F: Koji and Rikido_

 _Team G: Denki and myself_

 _Team H: Fumikage and Tsuyu_

 _Team I: Mashirao and Toru_

 _Team J: Hanta and Eijirō_

Eagerly, I introduced myself to Denki, a blond boy with a semi-permanent smirk. "Hiya! I'm Kiyomi, but my friends call me Kiyo. Let's do our best, okay?"

Denki grinned at me, taking my offered hand and giving it a firm shake. "Kaminari Denki, but an adorable girl like yourself can call me Denki."

I laughed at his obvious joke. "Okay, Denki-kun, feel free to call me Kiyo, then."

He nodded good naturedly, tucking his hands into his pocket. "Let's kick some ass, Kiyo-chan."

"Mn!"

"Alright, with teams decided, I'll draw to see who is villain and who is hero," All Might declared.

"I hope we getta fight Bocchan's team," I said.

"I'll kick your fucking ass, bubblegum," Katsuki commented off handedly.

"Only in your dreams, my dear."

Katsuki took a menacing step towards me, looking all the ready to throw an explosion in my face, but All Might drew two team names. "The villains shall be team D, with the heroes being team A!"

I pouted, even as a shot of anxiety pierced through my abdomen upon realizing that Katsuki would be fighting Izuku.

All Might gathered us and sent both teams to the building, telling the villains to hide the nuclear weapons before he would send in the heroes. He gave each team a set of ear pieces to communicate with their partner, and so All Might could talk to them.

The rest of the class was sent off to another nearby building and ushered into a blue room with dozens of T.V.s. Each screen reflected a view from a camera inside the building of the test.

I felt oddly uncomfortable watching Izuku and Katsuki begin their match. My stomach flip-flopped unpleasantly, yet a strange sense of calm settled over my heart. The two such contradicting sensations made for a highly uncomfortable feeling. My brow reflexively furrowed and I had to school my features into a more easy-going smile, so as not to worry anyone.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I turned to look at Shōto. My smile took a genuine turn and he gave my shoulder a squeeze.

Softly, he asked, "You okay?"

"This is important for him," I told him, uncertain why I knew, yet believing it firmly all the same. "They're going to hurt each other, but they have to. I don't like it."

"I'm sorry," he told me sincerely. "Do you—Do you want to look away? I can tell you when it's over."

For a split second I was honestly tempted to take him up on his offer. It would have brought me comfort to simply tuck my head into his chest and pretend my two friends wouldn't hurt each other.

I shook my head, though. "No. This is important for them, I think. I need to support them both however I can."

"I'm here."

"Always?" I asked him, my voice barely above a murmur.

"Always and always," he promised.

Even though I had decided to watch, I still inched closer to my Shōto, and my fingers instinctively hooked around his own.

The battle began when Katsuki found Izuku, and I resisted the urge to wince at Katsuki's growing darker face. Katsuki was clearly perturbed by Izuku's seemingly sudden rise to power, and didn't know how to handle the potential threat to his dream of being the strongest hero. Katsuki had always been first, with Izuku always trailing far behind him. The fact that the seemingly dead last—

( _Dead last? The loser into the hero? Ordinary into extraordinary?)_

—had made it into such an exclusive school, _and_ had some crazy strength unnerved Katsuki.

Izuku had disturbed Katsuki's view on normalcy, and Katsuki didn't understand how to handle that.

So he did the only thing he knew: he got angry.

Something that terrified Izuku, yet the sunny boy continued to fight Katsuki.

The classmates talked around me; talked about how dangerous Katsuki was, and how Izuku's life was on the line. They talked about how All Might should end the match.

They were wrong.

Katsuki wasn't a killer.

He would never kill; he simply didn't have that kind of darkness.

(That kind of _indifference_ for the easy solution _)_

And while I was uncomfortable, it was _never_ out of fear for Izuku from Katsuki. I was worried for _both_ my friends because I could see how hurt Katsuki was, and how hurt Izuku was. I wanted to hug both of them, wrap them in blankets, and tell them that everything would be okay.

I didn't, though, because half of me knew that what was happening _had_ to happen. They _needed_ to fight each other.

So I bit my tongue, and held Shōto's hand tightly.

I squeezed it so hard I thought for sure Shōto must have been uncomfortable when Katsuki used a point-blank explosion right in front of Izuku. In the same instant, on a different screen, Ochaco latched onto the nuclear weapon, ending the match in the heroes' favor.

The second I realize it was over, I let go of Shōto's hand and teleported straight to Izuku and Katsuki.

I grabbed Izuku from behind, my heart hammering and my stomach heaving at the smell of burnt flesh. Izuku, realizing I had him then, sagged in my arms and slipped away into oblivion. I readjusted to hold him better, my eyes burning as I looked up at Katsuki. "You okay?"

He didn't answer, the confused little boy staring in part horror, part disbelief at the unconscious young man.

Deciding to comfort Katsuki later, as Izuku needed medical attention, I said, "Tell All Might I'm taking Izu-chan to Recovery Girl."

Katsuki blinked once, then gave a short nod.

I patted Izuku's head once before I brought both of us to Recovery Girl's office. The elderly lady gave us a look over before she began to cluck her tongue and motion him towards one of her beds. "I'll take care of him, Kiyo-chan. Head back to class."

"Thank you," I told her sincerely. Before doing that, though, I decided to head back to homeroom and pick up my notebook and pen.

When I returned, All Might gave a brief lecture over the past battle, citing Iida as the MVP. Then he called the next two teams to begin.

I summoned one of my bubbles and smoothed it out to be a floating, flat, hard surface. I placed my notebook on it, uncapping my pen and poised to take notes.

"What are you taking notes on?" Shōto asked me.

"Izu-chan's gonna wanna know everything that happened after his, ah, altercation with Bocchan. My memory is good, but it's not perfect, so I'll take notes for him," I explained.

"During your own battle, would you like me to take notes for you?" Shōto inquired.

I smiled at him. "That would be appreciated, thank you."

Thankfully none of the other battles were as tense as Izuku and Katsuki's. I jotted down quick notes, deciding to translate them into more detailed notes later. Shōto had a particularly one-sided match when he froze the entire building and the two unlucky villains inside. He calmly walked towards the nuclear weapon and won against his match up.

My own match was a bit one-sided, as well. All Might immediately vetoed me being the hero since I had already seen all parts of the building through watching the other matches, knowing that hardly anyone would be able to stop me from simply teleporting right on top of the nuclear weapon.

As consequence, Denki and I were the villains, which was still a bit hard to deal with. The nuclear weapon was made out of cardboard mostly, so I could push it around a bit, which meant I could teleport it alongside me. Any time the heroes—we were facing Eijirō and Hanta—entered the room I was in, I simply teleported to another room with the weapon. Neither boys were fast enough to stop me, and Denki occasionally showed up to harass them.

We won without much of a fuss, and when everyone had gone All Might concluded the class was over and we had to return to homeroom.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

As the final bell rang for the day I got up from my seat and stretched. "What a fun day that was!"

Shōto stood up and pushed in his chair, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "You going to work?"

"Mm-hmm. I'll head there after I make sure Izu-chan and Bocchan are okay. You gonna go home?"

Shōto shrugged. "How long is your shift?"

"'Bout three hours," I answered. "We close early today, but if I need to stay after I will."

"Then I'll go to work with you. I can work on homework at the café," Shōto told me.

I smiled at him, sincerely happy my dearest companion would be spending his time out of school to be with me. "Okay. I'll meet you out front, let me talk with the other two, okay?"

"Okay."

I teleported to Izuku first, surprised to find him already outside the school with Katsuki. Katsuki had his back turned, with his hands shoved in his pocket and a minute shudder in his shoulders. Izuku looked particularly devastated, his eyes shining bright with unshed tears and a guilty expression on his face.

"Um," was all I said sensing I had interrupted an incredibly delicate situation. It was likely the first time the two boys had a chance to talk since class. "I'll talk to you both later."

Then I fled like the coward I was when it came to awkward moments.

I grabbed Shōto, my arms wrapping around his shoulders, and teleported both of us to my work place. I had brought us to the back room so I could change and put my things away in my locker.

Shōto blinked in surprise. "That didn't take long."

"It looked like they were having a private moment," I confessed. "I had a feeling it would be bad if I interrupted it, so I left. After work I'll check on them."

Shōto's brow furrowed. "I'm, uh, sorry?"

My smile returned and I affectionately patted his suddenly warm cheek. "You're the best, Sho-chan. Don't ever change."

He shrugged, looking down at his shoes. "Want me to hold onto your backpack while you work?"

"Oh, sure, thanks! It's always a bit of a tight fit in my locker otherwise."

"You're welcome. Have fun working."

"Always do," I told him, then began to tug off my shirt. "Gotta get dressed now."

He made a funny noise and hurriedly grabbed my backpack and left.

I loved making him uncomfortable.

An hour later, I sat down a white tea at Shōto's table, unsurprised to find homework laid out around the table. It seemed he wasn't working exclusively on homework from school because I could see a couple of workbooks (made by Nezu!) on the table, too.

My lips twitched up from the pleasant surprise that my friend was using my master's texts, too. "What brought this on?"

Shōto glanced up from a multi-step math problem, giving me a small smile. "He makes the exams, right?"

"Mm-hmm. You never seemed interesting in going the extra mile before, though."

"You do these workbooks all the time, though, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then I might as well do them, too," Shōto answered quietly. "I know I'm behind you, but I'll catch up soon enough, and then we can do them together."

My cheeks warmed, and a wide grin stretched across my face. "I'd really like that, thanks."

Shōto shrugged, an oddly sheepish expression on his face as he looked away.

"I have to get back to work. Let me know if you need anything else," I told him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing once.

"Okay," he mumbled.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I teleported in Katsuki's room, dressed in my training outfit. It was nearly nine by the time I finished my homework after returning home from work and dropping Shōto off. Izuku had reassured me through numerous texts that he was fine, and he was going to head to bed early after finishing his homework since Recovery Girl zapped a lot of his stamina.

Katsuki, though, hadn't responded to _any_ of my messages.

The boy was usually quite punctual when it came to replying, so the fact that he didn't meant he either wasn't able to, or he was in _that_ bad of a mood.

Which meant there was only one thing I could do.

"Fight me," I demanded of him when I appeared in his room. Katsuki gave a snarl, throwing down his controller (he was playing some kind of video game on the T.V. in his room).

"Get the fuck outta here," he growled.

I shook my head. "Fight me now. Let's go, teddy bear."

Katsuki leapt up from his seated position, marching towards me and towering above me. A vicious glare morphed his face into that of utter anger.

Anger at what exactly, though, I didn't know.

But, I intended to find out.

"Get dressed, and I'll take you to our spot," I told him. "Let's go. No Quirks, only our fists and feet."

He sneered. "You want me to beat you that bad, huh? _Fine_. I'll break all your bones then finish my game."

"Mm-hmm," I dismissed, knowing he actually wouldn't break my bones in a spar no matter how angry he was.

Well. Maybe my _nose_ but that was okay.

I _did_ break his nose after all.

Katsuki scoffed, then abruptly turned away and changed into sweats and a shirt. I grabbed his hand and off we went.

I brought Katsuki to a little field in my hometown that was currently taking a break from the harvest (giving the soil time to re-fertilize). It was a perfect spot for training, since it was out of the way, and covered in soft dirt. It was the usual place I brought Katsuki (and sometimes Shōto if he wanted to spar outdoors) when he demanded a spar.

We had never used our Quirks against one another due to the highly flammable surroundings, but that never stopped Katsuki from being a proper pain. The boy had some crazy intuition, and a natural battle instinct. He also wasn't anywhere near as gentle as Shōto was when we spared. Katsuki did not believe in going easy.

The second our feet hit the ground, Katsuki threw the first punch and the spar was on.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," I whined clutching at my dislocated shoulder. "Why would you punch someone's dislocated shoulder?"

Katsuki gave me an openly irritated look. "I didn't _know_ it was dislocated, dumbass, you barely reacted. It's your own damn fault."

"How could you not have known?! You were the one that dislocated it!"

"It's not like I dislocate shoulders every day!"

I flipped him off. "You dislocated it: you put it back."

"How?!" Katsuki demanded in a huff.

"What do you mean _how?_ " I asked shrilly. "If Baba sees me with another dislocated—"

" _Another?_ "

"—she's going to kill me slowly. So suck it up and fix what you caused."

Katsuki huffed in obvious exasperation. "If _I_ do it blindly I could cause more damage than good. Unless you _want_ a permanently disabled shoulder—"

" _Ugh_."

"—you need to go to the doctor or something."

"Then Baba will find out. I like living." Katsuki glared at me, and I gave a one armed shrug. "Besides, wouldn't you get in trouble, too?"

He winced, and I knew he would.

"Okay," Katsuki said firmly, "here's what we'll do, then. We'll go to my home, and my mom can probably put it back. If anyone asks: I found you like this."

I grinned. "Okay, we'll tell them I was practicing teleporting at various heights and didn't react fast enough, so I landed awkwardly. You were here to keep me company in case such a thing happened."

"Then let's go, dumbass," he snapped, holding out his hand for me to grab. I had to wobble forward before I reached over with my good hand and took it.

My shoulder throbbed with each step I took, the pain shooting down to the tip of my fingers, but I ignored it.

( _It was nothing compared to—)_

Katsuki glanced back at me, his brow furrowed in a rare gesture of concern. He still glared at me, but I could see the little signs of alien affection. He never really understood how to deal with any emotion besides anger, or smugness.

I teleported us to the front door, as it might have made his parents uncomfortable if a girl (seemingly) frequently teleported into their son's room. Katsuki rang the doorbell, and there was a solid minute of silence before the door opened and his mother appeared.

Mitsuki opened the door, her face lighting up in obvious surprise at seeing her battered son, and an equally battered girl with an arm dangling uselessly. I gave her a small, shy smile, suddenly feeling sheepish at my state and the condition I put her son in.

Katsuki, nonplussed, said flatly, "Her shoulder is dislocated. Can you put it back?"

Mitsuki's surprise faded away and her very presence took a drastic turn into Commanding Mothermode.

"Get inside," she instructed, opening the door more widely. "Take her to the living room, Kacchan."

Katsuki shrugged and headed inside the well-lit home, and I docilely followed behind him. Unlike Shōto's home, Katsuki's home had a warm and bright feeling to it. It felt brighter than Inko's home (as sometimes her home felt a little sad and lonely). There were numerous pictures hanging (most of Katsuki and his mother), and I smiled fondly at the toddler pictures of Katsuki.

Katsuki gestured towards the large couch for me to sit. I sat down, carefully picking up my arm and setting it in my lap. It protested heavily against such, but I told it that it was being a big baby and to suck it up.

Mitsuki came into the living room with a cloth. "For you to bite down on."

"That won't be necessary," I told her firmly. "I'm, uh, not a stranger to pain."

( _Off with the head!_ )

Mitsuki didn't even blink at that. "Okay. I'll do it quick, so be ready."

( _Oh, wait, it didn't go all the way through_ )

I gave her a nod, and pointedly look away. I felt Mitsuki's feather light touch on the top of my shoulder before her other hand moved to my back. Then there was a sharp snapping sound that would have made most people cringe, but Katsuki and Mitsuki were barely phased. Pain ricocheted up and down my arm and I bit on my lip hard to keep from reacting further.

( _Never gets any better_ )

"I'm going to get some ice," Mitsuki said with a smile. "And some ibuprofen."

"Okay," I responded, "thank you."

She waved her hand dismissively before she stood up and headed out of the living room.

"Feel better?" I asked him softly while his mother went to get ice.

Katsuki turned away from me, looking in the direction his mother went to. His shoulders lifted up the tiniest bit in a reluctant shrug.

I smiled at him. "Good. Let me know if you ever need another spar, okay? I'm here for you."

"If _you_ ever need an ass-kicking, let me know and I'll be glad to help you," Katsuki responded shortly.

"You're welcome, Bocchan."

He flipped me off, but unfortunately for him I could see the small smile on his face.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My muse got inspired upon seeing arneewenn's fanart of Kiyomi and Shōto. Please go check it out!

 **Kiyomi and Shōto being cute:** arneewenn **dot** deviantart **dot** com / art / Even-so-the-gods-of-romantic-comedy-are-cruel-716012518

Cantrona also drew Kiyomi for Inktober, and a lovely new profile picture of Kiyomi and Sakura! Her artwork has kept my muse going for the past two chapters, so please check it out!

 **Inktober:** cantrona **dot** deviantart **dot** com / art / Inktober-2017-Highlights-Day-23-713209703

 **Profile:** charredblossom16 **dot** deviantart **dot** com / art / Commission-Charredblossom16-715522790

All links are also on my profile.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _It's hard to see the ripple effect from only one perspective, so I will be using interludes to help show. I chose Shōta as the first because he plays a crucial role in this story, and his actions and words are hard to understand unless you know the experience he is personally drawing from._

 _I meant to add this to the last chapter, but didn't get it edited soon enough._

 _To confirm: Shōta and Nezu have had conversations with Kiyomi that Kiyomi doesn't remember. With a lot of lives stuffed into a brain, of course there are instances and triggers to bring forth one or multiple lives. Reincarnation, I think, is not very different from PTSD, in the sense of how the brain would handle it._

 _ **Answer:**_ _Daedric Armor-esque. Hail Sithis._

 _ **Question:**_ _Who would be your archenemy? Are they the hero and you the villain, or are they the dastardly villains and you're the hero?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	4. Vote For Hugs!

_**Happy New Year!**_

 _ **Trigger Warning:**_ _**Nihilist thoughts, old trauma.**_

 _ **Here are some fluffy scenes, and wholesome friendships.**_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When the bell rung to signify the end of the school day the next day, I stood up from my desk, grabbed my bubblegum pink backpack, and hurried over to Ochaco. I adjusted my backpack to sit more squarely on my back while I greeted the adorable girl with a bright smile. "Ready to see Shishō about the scholarship?"

Ochaco gave a short nod, a fiery light in her eyes, but a nervous smile on her face. She was clearly determined, but equally nervous. My smile softened and I patted her on the shoulder encouragingly. "It's okay, Ocha-chan, Shishō is actually very nice."

Ochaco's smile stretched a bit more and she stood up from her desk. "Okay, let's do this!"

I offered her my arm and she took it after a moment. I then guided her to Nezu's office, and the receptionist let us in with a knowing smile.

Upon entering the large office decked in U.A. colors, Nezu glanced up from his work on his desk and waved at me cheerfully. "Good afternoon, Kiyo-chan! Is this the friend you messaged me about?"

"Yes, Shishō," I answered, releasing Ochaco's arm and hurrying over to Nezu's desk. "She would like a scholarship."

Nezu nodded in response. "Ah. Uraraka-chan, may I ask why you would like a scholarship?"

I headed over towards the electric stovetop in the corner, grabbing Nezu's favorite large tea kettle and filling it up with water from the nearby sink. Then I placed it over the stovetop, cranking it to high.

"M-My parents," Ochaco stammered out. "They work hard, but our business isn't doing very well. The whole reason I-I want to be a hero is so I can take care of them, and while Papa said that they can afford the tuition—"

I couldn't resist turning around and looking at Ochaco in surprise. Her reasoning for wanting a scholarship was practically the same as my own, and the fact that she would take that extra step to ease the burden on her family instantly made me more affectionate towards her.

' _I wonder if she would be interested in a job_?' I thought. ' _The café is still growing and I know Sayako-chan has been meaning to hire a couple more part timers._ '

"I see, I see," Nezu responded. "Well, I certainly won't turn away anyone who wants to try for a scholarship. The scholarship will only be applied for next term, after summer break, if you pass all the tests. In addition, your grades will have to remain in the top percentage. Failure to keep that throughout the semester will result in you having to retake another, harder, exam for the next semester."

Ochaco gave a nod of understanding. "How soon can I take the test?"

"Next Friday come to my office. We will take the written exam first, followed by the practical exam afterwards. Kiyo-chan, while I'm sure you would love to help out your classmate I must insist that Uraraka-san studies for this on her own. The scholarship is individual base, after all."

My lips tugged down in a frown and I shot Nezu a look of distaste at that. Nezu only chuckled in response.

"That being said," Nezu continued, "I won't leave you entirely on your own. Tomorrow Aizawa-san will have a study guide for you. I sincerely wish you happy studying."

Ochaco bowed. "Thank you very much!"

I took the hot kettle off the stove top and placed some lemon tea cake loose leaves in the holder before I placed it on Nezu's desk. "Ocha-chan?"

She straightened back up and turned towards me. "Yes?"

"Would you be interested in a part time job?" I asked her. "I took a scholarship for similar reasons as your own, and I took a job so I could buy my own clothes, supplies, and whatnot. Baba and Papa are retired, you see, so my family isn't, ah, financially blessed, I guess? Anyway, the café I work at is expanding again and the manager wants us to bring in more part timers. It's near the academy, so you can head there after school no problem."

Ochaco's eyes were wide. "Do you think that would be okay? I mean yes! Yes, please."

I beamed at her. "Great, want to head there now?"

"I-I'm not dressed for an interview, I think? I mean, um—"

"You're fine," Nezu and I said at the same time. I continued, "It's a very easy going work environment, and you won't be the only high schooler there. C'mon, I'll take you there now."

"Thank you," Ochaco breathed out, her eyes wide. "Wait, let me call my parents to let them know!"

Nezu poured himself some tea. "Have a safe trip over there, girls. Kiyo-chan, don't forget to submit your homework to me tomorrow."

"I won't," I promised him.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Sayako, unsurprisingly, was instantly taken with Ochaco and hired her to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, and Sunday mornings. Ochaco was so happy about the outcome she hugged me tightly and repeatedly thanked me. I insisted it wasn't necessary, but she wouldn't hear of it.

Afterwards I teleported over to Katsuki's home to check in on him. While I left him last night in a much better mood than he was in during class, he still didn't talk much today. Katsuki was in the kitchen making dinner when I appeared in front of him.

He snorted upon seeing me. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Wondering if you need another spar," I answered honestly.

"Isn't your shoulder stiff from yesterday?" Katsuki retorted. "Rest tonight, dumbass."

"I'll be fine if you need an ass kicking," I told him firmly.

He threw his spatula at me. "Go home and die, bubblegum."

I caught the spatula and handed it back to him, pleased to see him in a relatively good mood. Bubblegum was the nicest nickname he had for me. Maybe he didn't talk much in class because he was tired from last night, too?

He was, after all, correct. My entire body was stiff and sore from our brutal spar last night, and I knew I hit him hard enough to leave bruises.

Satisfied my friend wasn't in a horrible mood, I took my bow. "I'll head home, then. Lunch today was great, by the way."

"It was fucking fantastic, not _great_ ," he spat out right before I teleported away.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat at my desk before school, looking over Shōto's self-appointed logic homework. He had circled some problems throughout the notebook that he wanted my second opinion on. My friend watched me work with half-lidded eyes, his head propped up by his right hand. Shōto had taken over the window seat on my left in the furthest back row. Since I always wanted to sit beside my dearest friend I sat to his immediate right.

To my surprise, though, Ochaco pointedly took the seat to my own right with a bright smile on her face. I looked up from reviewing his work at her. "I'm going to sit here from now on, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan," I responded, beaming at her. "Aizawa-sensei is going to give you the study guide today, right?"

Ochaco beamed. "Yep!"

"I have some textbooks you can borrow this weekend to study," I offered her. "I may not be able to help you study, but Bocchan and I have made good notes on them."

"That would be really great, thanks," Ochaco answered, then let out a small giggle. "Hard to imagine Bakugou-kun taking good notes, though."

"He's actually very studious," I told her. "And a great cook."

"Not better than you," Shōto immediately responded loyally.

I waved my hand dismissively, not agreeing or disagreeing.

Speaking of the devil, Katsuki meandered into the classroom and headed straight towards my desk. He plopped down a bento with a bright pink wrapping and a little red bow on top. I stared incredulously at the overly feminine bento box and looked up at Katsuki questioningly.

"Kaa-chan," he bit out, "wanted to decorate it for you."

"Oh," I let out a small giggle at Katsuki's disgusted look. "Tell her I said it's very cute. Thanks for the lunch, Bocchan!"

Sheer annoyance radiated off my friend and he snorted and stomped over to his desk a few rows in front of us.

"How come he makes you lunch every day?" Ochaco asked. "Are you—you know?"

Shōto let out a rather big snort and abruptly looked towards the window.

I also couldn't resist letting out a snort at that, too. "No. He lost a wager a year ago and has to bring me lunch every day for the first month of school."

"Oh, wow."

"He hates it, which makes victory all the sweeter," I hummed, glancing back over at Shōto and giving him a wink.

He reached over and flicked my nose. "All the more reason to never wager against you. If she ever proposes a wager, no matter how unlikely it seems she'll win, don't take it, Uraraka-san."

"Five so far have fallen victim to my cunning plans," I confessed with a cackle. "I'll get you to accept my wager one day, Sho-chan. I'll get you into that cat costume if it's the last thing I do!"

"You will never get me to wear that thing," Shōto disagreed.

Ochaco smiled evilly. "I bet you would look cute as a kitty cat, Todoroki-kun!"

"Cute or not, I'm not wearing it," he said stubbornly.

Izuku entered the classroom, small smile on his face and a hum on his lips. He headed towards us, surprised that Ochaco took his usual seat. He blushed as he greeted her, taking a seat in front of me instead. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Ochaco and I greeted him enthusiastically. My fellow optimist added, "What do you think we'll be doing today?"

"Wh-Who can say?" Izuku shrugged off his backpack, placing it on the hook beside the desk. "Ah, did anyone else get mobbed by reporters on the way to school?"

"You, too?!" Ochaco exclaimed. "It's crazy out there."

I cocked my head at that. "Reporters?"

"You're lucky you can teleport straight to school, Kiyo-chan," Ochaco told me. "Last night there was a big news report about how All Might is a teacher here."

"The media is in a frenzy about it," Shōto explained.

I scratched my cheek. "Huh. I don't really have time to watch T.V., shame I missed it."

"Well you should be careful," Izuku commented. "If they found out you're the principal's, ah, apprentice, they might mob _you_."

Shōto frowned at that. "They wouldn't really harass her, would they?"

"I'd just teleport out of there if need be," I dismissed. "I feel bad for Shishō now, though. He's never been a fan of addressing the press. I'll have to stop by today to check on him."

"You don't work tonight?" Shōto inquired. "I thought you worked every Friday."

"Sayako-chan wanted me to switch my shifts around, so I work Sundays through Wednesdays now," I explained to my friend. Ochaco's eyes lit up at that, as it mirrored her own schedule. "That way I can work with my classmate, and enjoy Friday nights as 'normal highschool girls do.'"

Aizawa came into the classroom, and we immediately turned our attention to the front. Shōto took back his self-appointed logic homework and neatly put it away in his backpack.

Aizawa plopped down a stack of papers on top of the podium at the front of the classroom. "Good work on Wednesday's combat training. I saw the video and results. Bakugou, you're talented, so don't act like a kid."

Katsuki grimaced. "I know."

"And Midoriya, you settled it by breaking your arm again, huh?" Izuku winced and bowed his head. "You can't keep saying you can't help it because you can't control your Quirk. I don't like repeating myself. As long as you fix the control issue, there's a lot you'll be able to do. Feel a sense of urgency, Midoriya."

"Yes, sir!"

Continuing in his lazy drawl Aizawa said, "Now let's get down to homeroom business. Sorry about the late notice, but today I'll have you decide on a classroom representative."

For some reason I felt like the entire class let out a sigh of relief at that, and I cocked my head.

There was a sudden shout as the red haired—ah, wait, his name was Eijrōu—leapt up onto his desk. "I want to be class rep, pick me! Pick me!"

"Me, too!" Denki added.

The entire class erupted into excited shouts and exclamations of everyone shouting they wanted to be it. I watched the whole thing in bewilderment.

"Wow, is it really such a great thing?" I asked in surprise. "What does a rep even do?"

"Oh, yeah, you've never been to school." Izuku gave me a sheepish smile. "Normally only one or two would want to be a representative, but I think everyone wants to stand out here."

"You would probably have fun as the rep," Shōto told me. "You're charismatic, and I'm sure Nezu-san would be proud if you stepped up."

I gasped, my choice made.

"Silence, please! We should conduct a vote," Tenya suggested loudly, his back straight and his hand raised up high. "It is a job with the serious responsibility of leading others. It is not a job for just anyone who wants to do it. It is a calling that requires the trust of those around you. If we want to use democracy to decide on a true leader, then we should hold an election to choose one."

"It's a good idea," Tsuyu said. "We haven't known each other for so long, so the person who is able to convince others to vote for them is the ideal leader."

There were murmurs of agreement throughout the classroom, and my eyes widened with realization.

With great bravado I leapt straight onto of my desk and declared with all my might, "VOTE FOR ME AND GET FREE HUGS."

The purple-haired boy, Minorou if I remembered correctly, leapt up at me with all his might, tears in his eyes. "YOU HAVE MY VOTE, PLEASE LET ME HUG YOU."

I embraced the small boy in my arms, hugging him tightly and smirking at Katsuki. "Bocchan, if I'm chosen, I'll reduce your punishment to only Monday next week."

Katsuki stood up from his seat, slamming his palms on his desk, eyes dark. "Vote for fucking Bubblegum, you pieces of shit."

I let out a _whoop,_ punching the air with my right fist, and then beginning the process of pulling Minorou off me.

"Ah, so she can control Bakugou…?"

"Might be useful as a class rep…"

" _Shut up_ ," Katsuki snarled at some of our classmates.

Shōto stood up from his chair and helped me pry Minorou off my chest, tossing the boy across the room in a less than friendly manner.

"I'll pick you," Ochaco told me with a kind smile. "Waitresses have to stick together!"

I laughed at that. "Oh, you're going to look so cute as a maid."

She turned a little pink at that, rubbing the back of her head. Izuku's eyes bulged. "Wait, maid? Uraraka-san, d-do you work at the maid café with Kiyo-chan now?"

Ochaco beamed. "Yeah! Kiyo-chan got me a job for it yesterday."

Izuku's face was redder than a tomatoes and he promptly buried his head in his arms. Shōto, surprisingly, was giving him a look of sympathy. He even went so far as to gently pat Izuku on the back.

"Let's conduct the vote!"

By the end of the vote I had six votes, but everyone else had either one or zero, so there was no clear winner for deputy representative. The class decided to vote again, but this time without me as an option for them to decide on who would be the deputy.

I thought Tenya would make the best choice, and Izuku and Ochaco agreed with me. He was the one to propose the voting, after all, and he was clearly a passionate individual when it came to school.

Unsurprisingly everyone else voted for themselves again, so Tenya won the deputy selection without much fuss.

The two of us headed up to the front of the class room and stood side by side. I grinned brightly at Tenya. "Let's work well together, okay, Tenya-kun?"

"Right," Tenya agreed, his posture straight as a board, but a pleased smile on his face.

"Okay," Aizawa murmured, handing us each a piece of paper. "Fill out the forms and submit them back to me before the end of the day. Kiyo-chan, don't draw on them this time."

"I won't draw you as a cactus again," I lied.

"Mm-hmm."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Come lunch time I sat beside Shōto and began to eat Katsuki's delicious homemade food. Shōto blatantly stole some of my deviled eggs, plopping them in his mouth like a chipmunk. I giggled at how cute he looked and stole bits of pork off his school ramen.

Izuku, Tenya, and Ochaco joined us shortly after. Tenya gave me a curt nod. "I think it would be prudent for us to start sitting together."

"More the merrier," I told him, reaching over and grabbing some of Izuku's spinach. "Bocchan never puts veggies in this."

In return, Izuku took an octodog. "He's almost as good as his dad when it comes to cooking."

Ochaco frowned. "Is it really so great?" I offered her a roll, and she nibbled on it before wolfing it down. "Sweet strawberries, that's delicious."

I inwardly winced at the word strawberries, instantly reminded of my biological mother and her Quirk. I reached for my milk tea and chugged the rest of it down to wash the sour taste from my mouth that I always got when I thought of her.

It wasn't like I hated my mother for what she did to me. Abandonment didn't bother me as much as it should have.

I had Baba and Papa, and a whole community that I viewed as family. Not having a biological mother around didn't phase me in the slightest. She wouldn't even be on my mind at all if it weren't for the chance I inherited her Quirk. It was a real possibility, and a dangerous one at that, so I couldn't ignore it. I religiously stayed away from strawberries, citing allergy, because I had to play it on the safe side.

Anytime they were mentioned, though, I always thought of her and her Quirk.

Ochaco reached over and picked off another roll, and I took some of her potatoes. Shōto tried to sneak off with the last deviled egg, but I swatted his hand away. The look of betrayal on his face was almost convincing enough for me to let him have it, but I wouldn't be fooled again so easily.

I ate the last deviled egg, savoring it. Shōto flicked my nose, which made me laugh.

Suddenly an alarm rang through the building, and I leapt up from my seat beside Shōto. "An intruder?"

"What's going on?" Ochaco asked, concerned.

"Shishō said that only intruders would trip this alarm," I trailed off, before I pulled out my wand. Bubbles formed around three of the exits, stopping students from rushing through them; although most were still in their seats and looking around in bewilderment. I stood on top of our table and shouted out, "FIRST YEARS: THIS ALARM MEANS AN INTRUDER HAS INVADED. KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS SCHOOL IS FILLED WITH PROFESSIONAL HEROES, INCLUDING ALL MIGHT. DO NOT BE SCARED."

I had to take a deep breath after all that yelling, but at my mention of All Might, many of the students immediately started to calm down. Then I took another deep breath and finished, "CLASS REPS OF EACH CLASS, PLEASE GUIDE YOUR CLASSES TO THE DESIGNATED EVACUATION ZONE."

I then summoned another big pink bubble above my head. "CLASS 1A, THIS WAY." With a smile, I lowered my voice and turned to Tenya, "Do you think you could round up any missing members? There could be some in the bathroom. Don't take unnecessary, risks, though."

Tenya surged up from his seat with a salute. "On it. Where is the evacuation zone?"

"The central gymnasium by the main library," I told him.

Tenya gave a nod before he hurried off.

I noticed a few other students standing on top of their own tables and shouting for their respective classes. Our own class, 1A, slowly headed towards me. I did a headcount, noting that three of them were still missing—including Tenya. I waited a couple more minutes before I decided to lead the class to the evacuation zone. When everyone was safe, I would hunt down the missing members.

The entire ordeal was still a bit chaotic, but it wasn't too bad, all things considered. The class reps were able to keep their respective classes under control and guided everyone to the gymnasium.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Tenya already there with the missing members. I gave him a thumbs-up.

The classes remained in the gymnasium for about forty minutes before the teachers came and told us to resume class.

Nothing else happened for the remainder of that Friday.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Saturday morning I sent a text to Ochaco to see if it would be okay to drop off those texts to help her study for the scholarship. Ten minutes later she responded with an enthusiastic yes and offer of breakfast.

I kissed my Baba and Papa on the cheek, and changed out of my farming clothes. My hair was a bit gritty from working on the farm since six, but I didn't want to keep Ochaco waiting so I decided to take a shower when I got back instead and hope she wouldn't mind.

My feet landed softly on the hardwood floor of a small apartment. Ochaco glanced around and gave me a cheerful wave. She was currently at the stove, dressed in shorts, a shirt, and apron, making an omelette. "Hope your hungry. Not as good as Bakugou-kun, but I make a mean breakfast."

"I'm always hungry after farm work," I told her, placing the stack of books on one of her three kitchen counters. "Your parents home?"

Ochaco shook her head. "I'm actually renting this apartment by myself. My hometown is a far from here, and it was cheaper to rent out an apartment by the school than pay for transportation back and forth."

"Oh, wow," I responded, honestly impressed. The idea of not living with my Baba and Papa unnerved me to a rather extreme degree. I felt compelled to check on them every day and make sure they were okay, and it was easiest to do that while living with them. Besides, while Baba and Papa had a truck, I was their main source of transportation. If Baba ever had another stroke I could get her to the hospital in seconds, whereas an ambulance out to the farm would take a solid half hour (simply due to most roads being too small for an ambulance to fit through, most of our neighbors biked everywhere, or used their tractors).

Not to mention I would hate to live alone. Being by myself always unsettled me because if my mind wandered for too long I would start to see those ambiguous faces from my nightmares, and hear their hissed out whispers.

They did not typically say happy things.

But, that was a disturbing thought for another day.

Ochaco pulled the omelette off the skillet and plopped onto a red plate. "Want anything to drink?"

"Milk is fine," I told her. "Thanks for the food."

"Thanks for your help," she returned, placing the plates on the floor table by a small T.V.. "Take a seat and I'll be right there. Want to watch something while we eat?"

"Sure."

Ochaco brought over a couple glasses of milk and we sat down at the table. She turned on a quiet movie and took a swig of her milk. "Anything I should be prepared for before work tomorrow?"

"Make sure you wear comfortable shoes," I told her, perfectly serious. "Sayako-chan won't make you wear heels for your first month so you can get used to everything, but after that we'll have to hunt you down some good shoes."

Ochaco's nose crinkled. "How high do the heels have to be?"

"An inch is ideal," I answered. "You can do half inches, though, if you're too uncomfortable."

"I can wear heels," Ochaco said. "Been a while, though, haha. Hope I don't break my ankle, or something."

I smiled. "I twisted my ankle every day the first week I had to wear heels. I'm sure you'll do much better. Besides, you get used to it after the first couple months, and since we're only part time we don't work for long periods of time. Most hours we'll work in one shift is five hours, unless someone's sick."

Ochaco took a big bite of her omelette. "That's a relief. The pay seemed good, too."

"It is," I confirmed. "We're paid above minimum, and we keep all of our tips."

"Any tips on customers?"

"Be nice, and smile a lot," I immediately said. "Other than that, though? Not really. If anyone gets handsy, or creeps you out, tell me or one of the other girls and we'll take care of them. We don't get a _lot_ of creepers, but we do get some."

Ochaco understandably winced at that. "Have any of them—?"

"No," I reassured her. "One of girl's has an aura-reading Quirk. Anyone with a malicious, or ill-intent aura is immediately ejected from the café. We do have officers who frequent the café and have given rides home to some of our girls, so you can always talk to them. If you get scared, I'll walk home with you, too."

Ochaco smiled. "Thanks."

I waved my hand. "No problem."

Our conversation stayed close to the café for another half an hour before it transitioned into favorite foods/drinks, then movies, and so on. Surprisingly I ended up staying for lunch and dinner with Ochaco, as neither of us ran out of things to talk about.

She was a sweet girl with an infectiously bubbly personality that I found refreshing to be around. We found out we had a lot in common, too, and she was easy to talk to.

I was honestly reluctant to head home, but the thought of not checking in on Baba and Papa kept me from staying.

I promised I'd walk her to work tomorrow morning—as we both worked the Sunday morning shift—and I gave a quick hug before I left.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I met Ochaco at five thirty the next morning, dressed in a skirt and sweater. Ochaco greeted me with an energized smile and the two of us walked to work together. By six we were changed into our matching maid uniforms and opened up the café.

I was surprised to find Shōto entering the café around eight, with Izuku following shortly behind him. I brought them both their favored drinks. "I thought you had training on weekends, Sho-chan."

"Father is out of the country," Shōto answered. "Can I get breakfast, too? I haven't eaten."

"Of course. Want anything, too, Izu-chan?"

"U-U-Um," Izuku stammered out, his eyes glued to Ochaco helping a sweet family of five. "Wh-Whatever you recommend, Kiyo-chan."

A sly smirk crawled onto my face. "Mmkay. I'll have Ocha-chan bring breakfast to you, then. It's her first day, so treat her well."

"Okay," Izuku squeaked out.

Shōto glanced up at me. "Are you doing anything after work?"

"Gonna walk Ocha-chan home, then probably do some light work out," I answered. "Wanna join? It'll only be cardio today."

"Sure," Shōto agreed. "I'll have to change first, though."

"No problem," I reassured him, then headed over to the kitchen and put in their orders. I grabbed Ochaco on her way to the kitchen and gave her a wink. "Be sure to give Izu-chan and Sho-chan their breakfast, okay? I'm sure they wanna see you in your cute maid outfit."

Ochaco blushed. "Okay."

I patted her on the cheek before I headed off to take care of my other customers.

All in all it was a pretty relaxing weekend.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I was cold. Unbearably cold. There was a heavy invisible blanket weighing down on me. It clung onto me, making my shoulders hunch over and my head bowed.

I could hear their thoughts.

I could hear their fears.

Faces stared at me. Their features blurred and unrecognizable, yet painfully familiar. Hundreds of them stared at me, watching me.

I stood in the center of the fog, faces above and below me. Nothing but faces.

The chill in the air was severe enough that it hurt to breathe. My lungs burned and the blanket continued to weigh me down. More weight seemed to pile on top of it before my knees buckled and I collapsed before all of them.

The Oldest was in front of me.

He was the first.

Yet he was not the first.

The Oldest and the Blessed were separate, yet the same.

It started with the Blessed.

But the Oldest was the first life.

Blessed was the one that started remembering. She was the start of the cycle.

She was behind me, always behind me.

Everyone else, even I, were merely afterthoughts to them. Faces to be added.

I was only a face to be added.

I was essentially worthless; the absolute uselessness I contributed to the cycle was paramount. Unquestionable.

I would never be the smartest.

Never the strongest.

Never the quickest.

Never the wisest.

Never the kindest.

Never the evilest.

Never, ever, amounting to anything in comparison to them.

My life was meaningless.

I was meaningless.

If I died, I would only be another face added.

"Then what," I asked aloud to the faces, "is the point of my existence?"

"To live," the Blessed said, her green eyes gentle.

"Why?"

"That is something you will have to find out on your own," the Oldest said softly. "Every life is different. Every choice you make, every experience you feel defines you. You are Kiyomi."

My gaze drifted over to some of the ambiguous faces. "What if I don't find out?"

"You already know your reason to live, Kiyomi," the Blessed murmured to me, gently cupping my cheeks. "Your life is a precious thing, never to be wasted. Know that you are loved by us, and by those around you."

"We will always watch over you," the Oldest one told me, and I felt their fears and thoughts start to deafen. "No matter how cruel life can be, no matter how horrible it can get, know that you will never be alone."

"Because I have you?"

"Because you have _you_."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I awoke from my dream with a shiver, goosebumps crawling up and down my arms. I banished away those depressing thoughts, knowing they were not my own.

 _Useless._

 _Stupid._

 _Weak._

 _Alone._

The words scratched inside my head like buzzing bees. It was harder than I thought to send them away. I had to take deep calming breaths, and focus on the positive aspects of my life before they began to dull down to a quiet noise I could partially ignore.

( _Traumas last lifetimes. You never get over them. You learn how to deal with them._ )

I shook off their words, and got out of bed, running a hand over my face.

While every night I dreamed about the thousand faces staring at me, I didn't always wake up in such a poor mood. Sometimes the faces soothed me, and sometimes they scared me.

Sometimes, like tonight, they drained me of energy and pressed upon me like a wet blanket on a snowy night.

They were not my thoughts, though. They belonged to one of the faces' (a thought that should seem odd, but I never questioned it).

My life was my own life. I did not understand what caused the fear, the pain, or the anger, exactly, but that was okay. I didn't need to know. Whoever they were, they needed time, and love, to heal.

My purpose in life was to provide that.

I would cherish everything I could, and look for the brighter spots. I would bring as much positive thoughts, and consoling words I could to the faces, and to my friends.

I _would_ be useful.

I _would_ be smart.

I _would_ be strong.

I _would not_ be alone.

Despite thinking those words, and repeating them inside of my head, I still felt the cold tendrils of those unsettling thoughts in the back of my mind. Simply thinking and deciding wouldn't be enough to heal such old wounds.

( _But that's what friends are for_.)

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _I have not stated what Kiyomi's biological mother's Quirk is, yet. Merely foreshadowing it right now, as Kiyomi detests it._

 _It's hard to time all the events to fit into a normal weekday schedule, so I'm_ _ **making it a little AU**_ _so it fits. It'd be odd if I had eight class days in a row, after all._

 _ **People have kept pointing out that Shōto did not need to take the entrance exam because of Endeavour's recommendation**_ _: I know. He did not need to, but he wanted to so Kiyomi wouldn't be by herself. It was going to be addressed later on in the story, but I'm getting a little tired of the PMs, so there._

 _Next chapter not as relaxing as this one (ya'll know what comes up next), and I'll put trigger warnings up top._

 _ **Answer:**_ _My archenemy would be a detective hero. :) I'm the devious thief!_

 _ **Question:**_ _Who is your sidekick / minion?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	5. A Villain's Welcome!

**TRIGGER WARNING: Violence.**

 **The anticipated arrival of the villains is finally here.**

 _Hope everyone has had a good start to the year._

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

For the third time that Sunday night / Monday morning my eyes shot open and I shivered. The faces and whispers from my nightmare began to fade away as I slowly returned to the waking world.

My eyes drifted towards my cat-head shaped alarm clock.

 **3:02**

I winced, rubbing my face and tired, wet eyes. I didn't have repeated nightmares often of the faces, but they almost always occurred on days that would turn out to be sour for me. I tried to remember what my last dream was about, but I only got the impression of cold gazes and the urge to go somewhere with sunlight.

' _I won't be able to go back to sleep on my own_ ,' I thought reluctantly. Three nightmares in a night meant I would be greeted with at least two more before my alarm clock went off unless I got up, or found someone to keep me company. With a heavy sigh I got out of bed and washed my face. I dried off the sweat that clung to me and changed into a shirt and shorts. I debated on simply staying up for the rest of the day, but ultimately decided against it.

When I had such frequent nightmares it usually predated a bad day ahead of me. It was an uncanny coincidence.

I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text message to Nezu; he told me to always tell him when I had frequent nightmares in the same night, and if I remembered anything about them, or felt a strong urge to do something afterwards.

' _Three nightmares in a row. Only remember cold, and distorted faces. One of them had green eyes, I think. Strong urge to find sunlight._ '

I was about send the message when three words whispered in my ear and I remembered something more about my dreams.

' _All for one. They said all for one a lot._ '

Then I sent off the message and promptly teleported into Shōto's bed.

My precious companion gave a slight murmur upon my presence. "Sorry. Can I stay here?"

Shōto's eyes blearily opened up, then he shot upright. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

I didn't realize I was.

I reflexively wiped at my eyes, surprised to find tears on my hands. I didn't feel particularly sad, or have the desire to cry. I only felt tired, and like I needed a little warmth tonight. I knew the dreams had unsettled me—the first one I only vaguely remembered feeling upset about—but I didn't think they bothered me enough to _cry_ about.

Shōto wiped away at the dried tears on my cheeks, his eyes soft with concern. "Bad dreams?"

"Yeah," I answered softly.

"Want to talk about it?"

My shoulders lifted up in a shrug. "Same thing. I only remember faces, cold, and the words all for one."

"All for one?"

Once more I shrugged.

Shōto's lips pursed and he scooted back on his bed and patted the area next to him. I crawled underneath the covers and curled up beside him. Shōto pulled the covers over me and then scooted back underneath. We faced each other, and he reached over and wiped at my eyes. "It's okay now."

"I don't know why I'm crying," I confessed, starting to feel embarrassed. My cheeks warmed, and I averted my gaze.

"I'm here for you," Shōto offered, lifting up his arm in a silent offer for a hug. After hesitating for a split second I buried my face in his chest and breathed in his familiar scent. He rested his arm around my back and gave it a consoling pat.

"Always and always?" I asked him.

"Always and always," he promised.

That made me smile. "What do you think the chances are I'll have a great day tomorrow and break the bad-day trend from multiple nightmares?"

"You'll have a good day tomorrow, I'll make sure of it," Shōto declared quietly.

I couldn't resist laughing at that, because we both knew the odds of that happening were very slim.

But it was nice to hope for it.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Come six I groggily started waking up. My eyes felt like lead and I had to rub at them for a while to get all the dried gunk out of them. Shōto stirred beside me, rubbing at his own eyes and yawning widely. We laid beside each other for several minutes before I was the first to sit up. "Oh, boy I'm tired."

"Gonna be okay?" he asked me.

"Always am," I responded. "I'll see you at school?"

"Of course."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I collapsed at my desk with a sigh and placed my head on top of it. Shōto reached over and rubbed my back. No words were exchanged for a couple minutes until Ochaco and Izuku took their seats next to us.

"What's wrong with Kiyo-chan?" Izuku asked with concern.

"Multiple nightmares in a row last night," I grunted.

"Oh, _no_ ," Izuku whispered with utter dread, his eyes wide with worry and darting around the classroom like a bear might come tumbling out at any minute.

"Nightmares can be pretty bad, but it'll be okay, Kiyo-chan," Ochaco murmured to me in a soothing voice. "We can go out for ice cream after work if you want."

"You don't understand," Izuku whispered to her. "When Kiyo-chan has repeated nightmares in the same night it _always_ means something bad is going to happen. Last time it happened she dragged me out to one of her hunting adventures and we ended breaking both our pelvic bones, lost in a forest, and she ran out of power to teleport us out! Our emergency phones got lost in the ravine, and we were stranded out there for six hours!"

"I said I was sorry," I muttered.

"And I forgave you," Izuku dismissed. "But that doesn't change the fact that something bad _always_ happens the next day. Her Baba got a stroke and her Papa had a heart attack the first time this happened."

"But they're both fine, and so are you two," said Shōto. "It may be a rough day, but it'll be okay. Don't worry Kiyo-chan, I'm h—I mean _we're_ here."

I gave a murmur that sounded vaguely like _thank you_. I closed my eyes for what could only be a split second before someone called me back to reality.

"Kiyo-chan," Aizawa called out to me. He cocked his head up and I reluctantly got out of my seat and headed to the front of the room. It was a bit surprising to see him arrive before class started. Aizawa was notorious for being exactly on time, so he didn't have to waste his time. I tried to put a bit more energy in my step, feeling a little self-conscious of how tired I looked.

"Yes, Cactus-sensei?" I asked him.

"Go to Nezu's for lunch," he ordered me. Then he reached into his pocket and handed me a small energy drink. "Chug it and get back to your seat."

I took it gratefully. Baba refused to have much caffeine around the house. Even all her tea was white, or green tea, and thus caffeine free. I uncapped it and finished it in one gulp, inwardly wincing at the sour taste it left in my mouth. Still, it was better than nothing. I sincerely meant it when I said, "Thank you."

He didn't respond for a minute. "Go back to your seat, and stop worrying."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The energy drink was starting to wear off, so it was with shaky and tired hands that I opened Nezu's door. I was surprised to find my shisho patiently waiting for me with tea already made and what looked like some delicious baklava next to it. Nezu looked up from pouring a cup of steaming tea for himself and gestured for me to take a seat at his couch. "Come in, Kiyo-chan. How do you feel?"

I shut the door behind me and took my seat, placing the bento box on the coffee table in front of me. "Tired."

"I bet," Nezu murmured agreeably, pouring a cup of tea for myself. "Drink up, this will calm your nerves. I apologize for not responding your text, but I was preoccupied. The school had another attempted break in yesterday, you see."

"Oh, no. Was anything stolen?"

"No, no," Nezu reassured me. "The sensors worked as they always did. Did you dream about U.A., Kiyo-chan?"

My brow furrowed as I thought carefully. "I-I think so."

It was hard to recall specific things about such a hazy dream; like trying to grasp for smoke with your bare hands. As the day had continued on without much of a fuss, the growing dread that something horrible would happen at any minute amounted further inside of me. I had sent frequent texts to Baba and Papa to make sure they were still coherent and well, half-prepared to teleport to their side at any instant.

The familiar, yet foreign, faces had told me something in my dreams. I knew that much.

"The first dream," I began, "was bad. I woke up, um, sad, I think. The second dream was scary, though. It was when they said one for all."

"Do you remember anything else about that dream?" Nezu inquired gently. "Here, drink some more tea."

The tea smelled like chamomile with honey and milk. "Thank you. Let me think."

With the cup of warm tea in my hands I tried to think back about my dreams. There was something on the tip of my tongue.

" _Ah_!" I exclaimed. "I'll be right back."

I quickly teleported into my bedroom and grabbed the pink notebook paper on my desk. I brought it back to Nezu's office and triumphantly held it up.

I remembered my dreams for only a few minutes after waking from them. I tried to write what I could about them if I remembered to do so—which wasn't often, as sometimes I was overcome with strong emotions I could do little else but cling onto my pillow and wait it out—but unfortunately sometimes what I wrote wasn't legible, or recognizable.

Frankly, if I didn't know any better I would accuse someone else of writing it because it was hardly ever _my_ handwriting.

One time I even wrote something out in _English_!

English!

I handed Nezu the notebook. Nezu glanced at it, cocking his head. "Oh. French."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it," Nezu quickly said. "It says: Nōmu will come to U.A. Beware One for All."

"Shisho, what's one for all? Who is Nōmu?"

"I'm not certain who Nōmu is, dear Kiyo-chan," Nezu murmured. "You did well to remember to write down. I'm proud of you."

That made me beam, a bit of my grogginess slipping away at Nezu's words. "Th-Thank you, Shisho."

He smiled at me. "Please enjoy your lunch here, and have some baklava. It looks like I have some business to take care of."

"Okay, thank you.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat next to Shōto on the bus, and my dread continued to mount. Nothing so far had happened today, so part of me hoped the cycle was broken. The other part of me, however, felt like something simply that awful was about to happen at any minute. My stomach knotted into a pretzel and nausea greeted me like a cold wave.

My fingers fiddled with one another and Shōto reached over and took both of my hands into his own. I looked up questioningly at my friend and he responded with, "It's going to be okay."

I smiled wobbly at him.

"Try to relax," he suggested. "I'll let you know when we arrive."

Obediently, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my seat. I reflected on happier, calmer memories as I tried to shove aside my anxiety. Warm summer days working on the farm came to mind: mindless easy work while Baba made lunch inside. Papa would recite a childhood story of his. I thought about adventure I had gone on with Izuku, the humorous expressions and noises he made during them and then the thousand-yard stare he would get when I told him it was time for another adventure. I thought of chilly nights and watching movies with Shōto, my dearest companion sound asleep beside me, but his grip on my hands never relaxing.

It made the fear a little easier to bear. It was still present, but didn't seem so overbearing.

Too soon for my liking we had arrived.

"Everyone, I have been waiting for you," professional hero Thirteen greeted all of us once we stepped off the bus. I didn't know Thirteen's real name, and Nezu decided against telling me. He was always kind though, and extremely well-mannered.

There were a few gasps and excited whispers from around me. Thirteen was a well-liked hero, after all. He was mostly dedicated to rescue work and had an impressive record. Although Nezu told me had gone on a few Hunting missions before as a support, but disliked it.

Thirteen extended his arms out to us in almost an offering of a hug, his poofy astronaut-esque costume giving the effect of a marshmallow reaching for a hug.

The thought made me smile a bit.

"Let's go inside without delay, students," Thirteen said, gesturing toward the expansive stadium behind me.

I recognized the training stadium, although I hadn't been inside it much. Sometimes I would deliver reports, or paperwork for Nezu and it required me to head out to the stadium and interrupt some of the older students' class.

Although none of them complained about it, and a few even continuously greeted me with cheerful smiles.

I was the first to start moving, knowing that Thirteen preferred to be at the back of a group to keep a better eye on things. Tenya and Shōto followed behind me shortly, and soon our entire class filed into the _extremely_ large dome-like structure.

Gasps of amazement echoed all around me as people took it in.

It was certainly impressive. The building featured about seven different zones for heroes to practice in (mountain, forest, ruined city, enclosed space, landslide, sinking ship, fire, windstorm). It was certainly big enough to fit a whole town in, and looked absolutely immaculate on top of that.

"This is a training ground that I made with different types of accidents and disasters," Thirteen explained, a tone of pride in his voice. "It's called the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or USJ for short."

Aizawa stepped to the head of the group, frowning. "Where's All Might? He was supposed to meet us here."

Thirteen leaned in to Aizawa and murmured something quietly. The look of irritation on Aizawa's face was apparent after Thirteen pulled away. Aizawa muttered, "That's the height of irrationality." Then he let out a sigh. "It can't be helped. Shall we begin?"

"Let's see," Thirteen began, "Before we begin let me say one thing, er, or two, er, or three, or four, five, six, seven—Ah, everyone, I am sure you are aware of my Quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust."

Ochaco was nodding her head vigorously at his words, looking very much like a fangirl meeting her idol. I vaguely remembered talking to her on Saturday and she mentioned that Thirteen was one of her two favorite heroes.

"You've been able to use that Quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters, right?" Izuku asked, his eyes shining with open admiration.

"Yes, but it is a power that can kill easily," Thirteen answered.

Ochaco paused in her nodding, taken aback by his words—as were a fair few of the other students.

Thirteen continued, "Some of you also have Quirks like that, right?"

( _Grow a bubble in the heart, watch it e-x-p-l-o-d-e_ )

"In a superhuman society, personal Quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please do not forget that there are many Quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step. With Aizawa-san's physical fitness test, you found out about the possibility of your own hidden powers; and with All Might's person-to-person combat training, I think you experienced the danger of using those powers against others. This class is a fresh start. You shall learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You do not have powers so you can harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others." Thirteen then bowed. "That is all, thank you for listening."

The majority of the class cheered, and I smiled in admiration for the kind hero.

( _Uh-oh!_ )

My stomach knotted and a wave of nausea hit me so strongly I stumbled back. Shōto grabbed me before I fell.

"Kiyo-chan?" Izuku asked, noticing my stumble.

( _Here)_

( _They)_

"Come," I whispered.

There was a surge of electricity around the dome, and all of the sensors fell offline at once. At the center of the structure, in front of the large fountain, a black wispy hole began to form.

Aizawa's eyes widened before narrowing in anger. He snapped, "Kiyo, _get Nezu_."

I flexed my magic, but then a painful shock vibrated throughout my body and I gasped in pain. " _I-I can't teleport_!"

' _Magi Dust?_ '

"Gather together and don't move," Aizawa ordered, seemingly unphased. "Thirteen, protect the students."

( _Gonna hide again? Gonna watch? Gonna_ do nothing?)

"What's that?" Eijirō asked in confusion, staring at the black hole in the center.

"Enemies," I said softly, quietly, my stomach churning. "Sensors are off. One of them has Magi Dust, so I can't teleport."

"Enemies?" Izuku whispered. " _Here_?"

Dozens of villains began to leave the black hole, each armored and carrying vicious weapons.

I felt a thrill of adrenaline shoot through me, all nausea instantly gone.

' _Is this it?_ '

( _Is that all there is to it_?)

' _Villains?_ '

( _Washed out grunts that barely warrant a second thought?_ )

' _Humans?_ '

( _Is that all you got?_ )

My back straightened, and I glanced at Aizawa, confirming he slipped on his goggles. I stepped forward once and he snapped, " _Don't_."

I hesitated for a split second, but took another step.

Aizawa snarled. "I will see you expelled if you even think about doing what I think you're doing, Kiyomi."

"I will protect, no matter the cost," I retorted to him.

( _Death will never keep me._ )

' _What do I care of I die?_ '

' _I live for_ life.'

' _I live for_ love.'

' _I live for_ them.'

( _And we will not fail again._ )

With bravery and determination, I leapt straight into the air, two bubbles forming on either side of me and I hardened and flattened them out into thick tantos. I heard Aizawa curse from behind me, and then he was flying through the air beside me.

"You're an idiot," he snarled at me.

"You were going to jump in first," I retorted. "You're the backline hero, not the frontline. There's too many for you to deal with on your own. You _need_ support."

"And _you_ need self-preservation."

I landed on the ground and immediately the first villain was upon me. I dove underneath his large swing and I sharply raised my right tanto up and underneath his armpit.

' _Don't clip the arteries. Go for tendons. Prevent use of limbs to take out of the fight,_ ' I thought to myself, but the thoughts didn't seem entirely my own.

' _How do I know where the tendons are?'_

( _Old habits die hard._ )

The villain roared in anger, his arm now dangling uselessly at his side and he snarled at me, but I knew his threat level decreased.

( _These are not hardened warriors. They will leave if they think they are in danger._ )

( _ **Endanger them**_ _._ )

I felt a burst of malicious desire coil in the pit of my stomach.

' _Threaten them._ '

A cruel snarl planted itself on my face, and onto the next villain I went.

( _Twist, and turn. The battle is a dance._ )

( _You are not strong anymore._ )

( _But they are weak_.)

I went for the achilles tendons, shooting down low and swiping with uncanny precision. I went for the back of knees, the elbows, the armpits. Any joint was fair game.

Aizawa was behind me, working in tandem. There was a villain before us with skin too hard to slice.

"Deal with him," he told me.

And the hardened skin melted away and dealt with him I did.

One of them cringed when he met my eyes.

( _Let them feel your intent_.)

The urge to start going for their throats began to boil over inside of me.

It would be the easiest solution, right?

( _Done it so many times._ )

( _What's one more bloody knife?_ )

( _No. Kiyomi is not a killer.)_

( _She could be._ )

( _That is a path of darkness we do not need. Do not condemn her for_ your _mistakes._ )

( _Shut up!_ )

Then I felt Aizawa slap my back hard and the haze of bloodlust cleared for a split second. He told me, his voice cold, but firm, "Enough with the killing intent."

' _Killing… intent…?_ '

"You're a student. Not a soldier."

I didn't have a chance to question what he meant, because more fell upon us. My body twisted and moved on almost its own accord, like a pianist playing the his prized instrument again after years of absence. Only a few hesitations, a few bumps, but the music still flowed in a harmonious manner.

I moved in accordance to Aizawa, focused around him. He was the immediate person I had to protect on the field, and I would be damned if they got to him without losing a limb in the process (not that I actually cut off their arms and legs, but the desire to do so was mounting as the battle continued. More than once I had to consciously think against digging in too deep, and keep my tanto blade straight instead of ragged with teeth.)

( _Danger. Danger. Danger._ )

( _Don't touch him._ )

There was a man running towards us when the horde of villains had been thinned down to a scarce few. He had a hand mask covering his face, and hands on his arms and legs.

He was familiar.

I dashed to intervene, to keep him away from Aizawa, because the voices screamed at me to do so.

My bubbles transformed, seemingly of their own choice because I certainly didn't think to transform them. They wrapped around my upper arms and hands like body armor, and sharpened the tips of my fingers into claws.

"Pest," the man told me, his voice ragged and coarse. His right hand moved out fast, straight to my abdomen, but I blocked it with my right hand. Then our dance was on, and it was not an easy one like before.

He was not a simple thug.

He moved with surprising speed, and I knew if only a little bit of his hand touched any of my skin it would be game over for me.

He was bigger, and physically stronger than I, so the advantage went to him. He was also such a threat that some voices shrieked and told me to eliminate him—to rip his throat out, if need be. The other voices advocated against it, warning me to play safe and don't get caught.

The chaos inside of my head was distracting.

Aizawa continued to take out the remaining thugs while I dealt with the man before me.

Then I made a fatal error.

' _Death doesn't matter._ '

With thoughts like that, it was harder to fight smart.

' _What did it matter?_ '

If I didn't care what happened to me, why would I hold back?

Why would I play safe?

I kicked him.

That was it.

That was all it took to turn the battle into victory for him.

Because I had no bubble armor to protect me on my legs—only cloth that had been torn from my previous fight, so it was mostly bare—and his right hand clamped down on my calf.

The pain was immediate, and in horror I saw my flesh start to rot before my very eyes. My right bubble lashed out against him in a wild attempt to stop him, but the damage was done.

He released his grip, and I lost control of my right calf.

" _Kiyo_!" Aizawa shouted, rushing to me.

My arms shot up in a defensive position, and my bubbles turned into a giant shield that surrounded me. I snuck a glance down at my calf, grimacing at the state it was in. Moving as quickly as I could, I ripped off my witch's hat and wrapped it around my calf before tying it. It was a bit bulky, and it soaked up the blood immediately, but it would have to do.

I shifted my weight to my other leg and my bubble lashed out like a whip and tried to grab the man. He leapt away, taunting laughter escaping him.

Aizawa was beside me, then, his eyes entirely focused on the man. "Can you walk?"

"Not well," I admitted. "I will have to switch to backline for now."

"He has a dangerous Quirk. Your bubbles can withstand it, though?"

"Yes," I said.

( _Put a bubble around his head._ )

( _Suffocate him._ )

"I guess I'll need Nōmu for you two, after all," the man murmured. " _Go_."

Then that big, hulking, _thing_ was in front of us and I raised my bubble like a shield but in one punch it shattered like glass. The thing's fist connected against my chest and into the sky I went, all air leaving me in the same instant.

A wheeze barely escaped my lips and I knew my ribs were most certainly broken.

I tried to take in another breath, but found I was unable to.

( _ **Shall we play?**_ )

( _No._ )

Then I hit the ground and everything went black.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Izuku Midoriya**

Izuku felt his stomach clench with fear when Kiyomi literally leapt down into the heart the fray of the villains below. Her bubblegum pink hair flew wildly behind her, and her once normally rather happy-looking bubbles twisted and sharpened into blades.

" _Arrogant_ ," Aizawa hissed before he jumped down to join her.

Despite the fear that settled in the pit of his stomach, Izuku took a step to follow behind them. They were going to be heroes, after all. Surely they should—

Thirteen's arm appeared in front of Izuku. "No. We need to retreat and get help."

"B-But Kiyo-chan," Izuku managed to get out, his eyes wide in disbelief. "We can't leave her."

"Kiyomi doesn't need our help."

Izuku turned to Shōto, who was looking Kiyomi's retreating back with a jaw clenched tight. His hands were folded into fists on either side, and his back was painfully straight.

"She barely wins at spars," Katsuki spat out. "There's no way she—"

"This isn't a spar. This is a fight. She," Shōto caught himself and took a deep breath. "She won't lose. If we go down there not only would she have to concern herself with us, but Aizawa-sensei would be distracted protecting us, as well. Aizawa-sensei knows how to fight with her. Kiyo-chan knows how to _fight_."

Izuku quietly shook his head, the words rising to lips to argue against that, but then he saw them move.

There was no hesitance in her actions, and with almost too much ease she sliced open the arm of one of the villains. Aizawa moved alongside her, and they worked rather well beside one another (' _How? Do they have experience together?_ ). It was an odd situation and it gave Izuku a pause.

' _How is she moving like that?_ ' Izuku wondered. He had seen Kiyomi spar before. She had fought with him when he was training to earn One for All, and he knew how she moved. He was exact in his details when he wrote about it in his hero notebook.

How she moved now to then, though, was a drastic change.

On the beach she was fun, teasing, and gentle in her punches. Never enough to harm Izuku, but enough to make him work for a win. She was silent, and had damn good reflexes, but those were the two of her greatest strengths. She still had weakness: she overextended with her kicks frequently, and could be distracted with ease. She didn't have Izuku's stamina, or raw strength, either.

The Kiyomi currently fighting, though, was not the one on the beach.

She moved like a snake, twisting and darting for quick and potentially lethal blows. She moved to maim, not kill, but the blood pooling around her was hard to ignore. There was no gentle teasing, no pause, no way to distract. She was _dancing_ around her opponents, moving with grace and skill Izuku honestly didn't think she had.

' _Was she holding back this entire time?'_

It unsettled Izuku.

' _That's_ not _the same_ _Kiyomi_ ,' Izuku thought. He looked over at Shōto, wondering if maybe he saw how wrong it looked, too. He had known her longer than Izuku, after all, and Izuku knew they had spared against one another.

He didn't look surprised, though.

His posture was tight, and despite his earlier words there was obvious discomfort in his eyes.

But no shock. No confusion.

' _He knows what causes this?_ ' Izuku thought.

Then the smoky man appeared in front of the class and Izuku had put those thoughts away.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Katsuki Bakugō**

' _Stupid, piece of shit, coward,_ ' Katsuki thought with unhidden anger as he slammed another fist into a villain. He turned and caught another one and down that one went.

It was hardly worth the effort. The shit they fought were pathetic, and Katsuki knew if that _this_ was all his classmates were facing then they damn straight better kick ass. A hero who couldn't handle a bunch of worthless thugs didn't deserve to be at U.A. Didn't deserve to be a hero.

Heroes won.

No matter the situation.

Luckily for Katsuki that warp gate jackass threw him in the fire dome, so Katsuki could let loose without worry of causing too much damage.

There was one other student that got pulled into the fire dom with Katsuki, Eijirō. He moved fast, and threw solid punches, but his stance was awkward at best and he was clearly fighting with his mind elsewhere.

' _Worried for classmates?_ ' Katsuki thought absently, delivering another solid kick and knocking a villain out the window. ' _Useless. No reason to be worried._ '

Katsuki knew Kiyomi would be fine. He fought with her at least twice a month, and when she put her mind to it she could get vicious. Yeah, he'd still win half the time, but she _won_ half the time. If he had no issues with the scum around him, no way she would.

Deku was probably cowering behind the teacher. As long as he stuck with an adult he'd be fine. That deadlast wouldn't be able to handle the situation, no way. Deku would definitely be the type to only worry about his stupid classmates instead of giving his undivided attention to the villains.

But that's why he was the deadlast, and Katsuki was the winner.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _A hundred plus lifetimes as a soldier, warrior, or ninja, and the dance of battle won't ever leave, I think. Bloodlust is a powerful, addicting thing, that will take a long time to get rid of._

 _Kiyomi is excellent in tactics, and formation, but she lacks the raw power of some of her classmates, so she won't be OP. Still, put a weapon in the hands of a veteran and pit 'em against some thugs and it's hardly fair._

 _She has her strengths, like all of us, but she has weaknesses (a couple of them being painfully blatant; giving into bloodlust is an honest concern, but thankfully did not occur in this particular battle)._

 _Very shallow switches in POV, because I didn't want to do another interlude so soon after Aizawa's. Next chapter will start off in Shōto's perspective and conclude the battle._

 _ **Answer:**_ _Damian Wayne. ;)_

 _ **Question:**_ _Who is your mentor?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	6. Worrywart

_**Take a deep breath. Let it all out. Everything will work out.**_

 _ **Beta:**_ _emplatinum_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Shōto**

' _She's fine,_ ' Shōto told himself. ' _It's not the same as before. Aizawa-sensei is with her, and these villains aren't dangerous enough to_ —'

Shōto stopped that line of thinking, because going down that thought process would only unsettle him; and in the middle of a fight was no place to let emotions take over. He had to keep a level head, not only for his own sake, but so that way he could assist Kiyomi if need be.

' _Need won't be, though,_ ' Shōto thought. ' _She's fine._ '

Still, Shōto could feel his stomach clench unpleasantly and he couldn't help the worry that gnawed at him. Shōto felt his Quirk ease out of him as he froze his surroundings and every nearby enemy. He had to consciously keep his face smooth and to mask the inner turmoil he felt, as he knew it would be unprofessional to let such emotions show. The battlefield was no place to for worry and anger; such things could easily be used against him if his enemies were able to read him.

So he didn't speak, didn't flinch. He neutralized every enemy in his immediate vicinity. Perhaps if he was in a better state he would have taken advantage of that situation and performed a field interrogation, but all he could think about was returning to his childhood friend.

' _Calm down, calm down. This thought process doesn't help. Take a moment. Rethink your strategy_ ,' Shōto coached himself.

Shōto shifted his weight.

' _Render them unconscious. Let the professionals deal with interrogation. I'm not in the proper mindset to show ethical restraint,_ ' Shōto allowed. Shōto worked quickly to render each of them to an unconscious state before unfreezing most of their bodies so they wouldn't die of hypothermia. He left ice around their wrists and ankles, knowing it would give them a bad case of frostbite. He simply didn't have anything else to bind them with; and if they were to wake up, the frostbite would hopefully be severe enough to make them withdraw, rather than try and fight again.

Once that was done he began a short jog back to the entrance to see if he could assist Aizawa and Kiyomi.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Nezu**

Nezu paced anxiously in his office, his mind reflecting over Kiyomi's ominous warnings. He had reached out to all of his contacts in search of clarification for what, or who, Nōmu was. He personally invited a couple dozen heroes to drop by the academy today—and so far eight of them had arrived—and to be on standby. He even went ahead and implemented back-ups to his back-ups to his back-ups.

Normally he wouldn't be so gung-ho, but Kiyomi's predictions were never off.

Somehow someone named Nōmu would arrive at U.A. This person was connected to that awful All for One.

It was blatantly apparent that Nōmu would be a danger to his students and Nezu simply could not allow that. He was half-tempted to cancel classes for the day, but decided against it. If he originally had cancelled classes and that was the future Kiyomi saw, then Nōmu arrived to attack students on their way home…

No, keeping them at U.A. was the safest choice. He didn't want to incite a panic, but he warned his entire faculty to be on high alert.

Unfortunately only Eraser Head and Midnight were the only two to fully comprehend the situation, as they were the only two to know about Kiyomi's past lives. All Might suspected Kiyomi had a high intuitive ability, but Nezu did not feel like divulging her entire secret to him. It was Kiyomi's secret, after all, and while she mentioned that she trusted him to tell those necessary, that didn't mean he would share it so easily.

It was a terrifying secret, after all.

For any one person to have lived through multiple lives... _hundreds_ of different lives.

Statistically speaking Kiyomi had to have gone through every single kind of trauma a human could experience. She had been murdered in half of her lives, died of some horrible illness in a quarter, and the rest were varying degrees of rather unfortunate events. She could count on one hand the times she passed away peacefully in her sleep.

She had been a child soldier for over a hundred lifetimes, half of those centering around one world in particular that she was stuck in a perpetual loop. The worlds she traveled to thereafter took many lifetimes to readjust to not killing people out of habit. When she was finally comfortable with seeking peaceful resolutions instead of the quick and dirty way, she got thrown back into barbaric and evil-filled worlds.

" _I rarely made it past ten in those worlds," she told him flippantly._

Frankly speaking it was a bit of a wonder she hadn't gone insane.

" _But I did in a few lives. Some lives I had to end myself before I snapped and hurt innocents."_

Nezu paused in his pacing, banishing those depressing words. It was a good thing, he believed, that Kiyomi did not always have her memories. Ignorance was true bliss in her situation, and Nezu could not be more thankful for it. He didn't want to have to imagine dealing with a half-crazed future-knowing villain, which he was sure Kiyomi would have turned into if she consistently kept her memories.

Nezu stopped in his pacings when alarms went off in his office.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Toshinori**

Nezu had been prepared for some catastrophe all day. Toshinori didn't know what tipped him off that something horrible would happen, but Nezu added _another_ back-up the the back-up alerts in case security went down anywhere across the academy.

Toshinori would have called it excessive precaution, except Nezu's foresight proved invaluable because that very same back-up he installed alerted everyone at U.A. that security had gone down in USJ.

At once Nezu issued a massive alert for all heroes to arrive at USJ, and to prepare for the worst.

Toshinori didn't hesitate.

He sprinted as fast as he legs could carry him, and when he arrived—unsurprisingly the first—he kicked open the doors with all the fury, anger, and worry he felt. The door shattered and flew back, and he marched in there with a cold thunder.

He was prepared to find the students holed up together and maybe a few villains approaching them.

He was not prepared to see nearly fifty unconscious thugs—each with various bleeding wounds and obviously broken bones—and only a handful of students to be found. The first one drew his immediate attention because she was obviously in the worst position.

Kiyomi, his friend, laid unconscious on the ground with a huge, bulking, black _thing_ standing above her getting ready to punch down.

Toshinori _moved_ and the creature stumbled back far enough for Toshinori to grab Kiyomi.

Her leg was covered in blood; it soaked through whatever she had wrapped around it, and he could see bits of blood drooling from her mouth. Toshinori gently picked her up as Aizawa moved to stand beside him.

"She's an idiot," Aizawa told him.

"She's a hero," Toshinori corrected him. "Take care of her."

Aizawa shook his head. "You'll need my back up for this one. That creep over there is the one that did her leg in; some kind of decaying Quirk on anything he touches.

' _Definitely dangerous,_ ' Toshinori thought.

Toshinori looked around at the two remaining villains; the creep and the monster. He could see Izuku, Tsuyu, and Mineta in the water. They were near enough to help if they thought they could, but far enough away to not get pulled into the fight so easily.

' _Good. Looks like this might be too dangerous for students,_ ' Toshinori thought. He shifted his weight to the back of his heels, and gently placed Kiyomi in Aizawa's arms. Then he _moved_ again and grabbed each of the students. He said, "Leave, and take care of Kiyo-chan."

The creep let out a raspy chuckle. "Getting rid of the mobs? Aoe fights are dangerous for the low-levels… Mm-hmm."

Tsuyu and Izuku grabbed her upper body, while Mineta carefully held her damaged legs, his eyes watering. "Is she going to be okay?"

Toshinori gave them that All Might smile. "Of course. Get her to Recovery Girl while Eraser Head and I do some cleaning up!"

"All Might," Izuku mumbled, obvious concern in his eyes. Toshinori waved off his worry with a booming laugh. "G-Good luck!"

"Luck isn't something I'll need. Now get out of here students. Aizawa-san, let's make this quick."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Kiyomi**

I was tired. My whole body felt like there was a bag of sand over it. I tried to remember what happened, but only vague wisps of thought came to my head. I flexed my fingers experimentally before I slowly opened my eyes.

Bright light flooded my vision and reflexive tears pricked my eyes. Pain shot through my head, enough to jerk off the last bit of my sleepiness. My eyes slowly adjusted and after a couple of moments I came to realize I was in a bed.

More specifically I was in a medical bed in Recovery Girl's office.

"Wha—" Words spilled out of my dry mouth and I slowly sat up. As I did so, the rush of memories came back to me.

The villains.

One of them had gotten to me and then I fell unconscious.

I lifted up my covers, unsurprised to find my right calf covered in bandages. I wiggled my toes and was greatly relieved that they responded.

' _No nerve damage, then,_ ' I thought. I looked over my gown and body, a little shocked to find I didn't have any other major injuries. I had likely bruised my ribs from that super punch and my subsequent fall, but those were easily fixed by Recovery Girl's Quirk. It looked like the only lasting damage was from when that jerk had grabbed me.

But, no nerve damage. I would make a full recovery in time, undoubtedly.

I looked around the empty room before I found my school uniform and bag. I hopped out of bed, wincing at the discomfort in my leg, but quickly got dressed. I got out my phone and called home.

Baba picked up. "Kiyo-chan? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I reassured her. "Did the school call you?"

"Yes, they said you were hurt from a battle against villains," Baba said, worry in her tone. "That was only a few hours ago, though. Do you need to stay at school?"

"I should be okay to go home. Nothing too bad happened to me," I told her. "I'll check in with the teachers and then head home, okay?"

"Okay, dear. Please take care."

"Always, Baba."

I hobbled out of the room and poked my head into Recovery Girl's private office. She noticed me immediately, giving me a grandmotherly smile. "Up already, Kiyo-chan?"

"Mm-hmm. Is it okay if I go home?"

"That should be fine. Take care of your leg, though. Nothing strenuous for at least a week. You have a strong vitality, so you'll be back to full strength in no time as long as you give your leg the proper rest."

I nodded my head. "I will. Should I follow a rehabilitation program?"

"Unnecessary for the moment. If it still bothers you after a couple weeks then we'll talk."

Then I teleported to Shōto, unsurprised to find him in his bedroom. Shōto looked up at me, his brow creased and anxiety flickering across his face for a split second. "You going to be okay?"

"Yeah. No nerve damage," I said, reaching over to my friend and rubbing at the crease between his brows. "It's going to be okay, don't worry."

Shōto's eyes lowered down towards my leg and I held it up for him. I wasn't wearing my standard white stockings since I had some pretty thick bandages around my leg. Shōto hesitantly asked me, "Does it hurt?"

"Nah. Wanna see it without the bandages?" I asked him, knowing the worrywart wouldn't feel better until he saw everything for himself. He seemed torn, so I went ahead and undid some of the bandages.

It looked pretty ugly, not gonna lie. The flesh was raw, and only bits of my skin had finished growing back. The crease in his brow deepened further and a frown marred his face. "It—are you sure it doesn't hurt? My face hurt for a while afterwards."

"I'm not in any pain," I reassured him. "A little weak there, and I'm on light duty, but I promise I'm okay."

Shōto rolled back to his heels, sighing. To my chagrin he seemed _more_ worried. I lowered my leg, and re-did the bandages. With half-lidded eyes I peered up at him and accused, " _You_ worry more than there are stars in the sky."

He blinked at having his words thrown back at him, and a small smile pulled his lips up. "Maybe."

Once my bandages were done, I straightened out my skirt. "So… what happened? I remember fighting the villains and then nothing."

Shōto gestured for me to sit at his desk, pulling out the chair and giving me a look. With a quiet thank you, I did so and Shōto took a deep breath before he explained. He explained how the smoky-man had separated the class and dropped all the students off to face different villains. Shōto took care of a couple dozen himself before he headed back to the central area to see if he could help me. When he arrived he found Izuku, Mineta, and Tsuyu carrying me.

Izuku said that the monster-like creature had knocked me out with one blow (which made my cheeks flush with embarrassment at being done in so easily). Shōto took over carrying for me—I thanked him for that, and his cheeks turned a bit red and he mumbled that my thanks was unnecessary—and that they ran into Katsuki and Eijirō on the way. Then the entire area was swarmed with heroes with Nezu leading the charge and All Might single-handedly took down the monster.

After that everyone was escorted back to the main building where the nurses and Recovery Girl looked over them. I was the only one to come out with severe injuries.

My cheeks burned at that, and I felt shame coil in the pit of my stomach. "I—I see."

"You were very impressive," Shōto said quickly. "Everyone was amazed at how well you worked with Aizawa-sensei."

I lifted my shoulders up in a noncommittal shrug, still feeling decidedly humiliated.

' _I'll have to work extra hard now to make up for it,_ ' I thought to myself. ' _I won't embarrass myself again._ '

I looked up at Shōto, tilting my head. "So you're unhurt? No boo-boos to kiss better?"

Shōto flushed cutely and he quickly shook his head. "I'm fine. Will you—I mean—do you want to—I mean—you can stay the night if you'd like."

A smile stretched over my face at that. "If that's okay with you. I wouldn't want to intrude. I have to go back home and have dinner with Baba and Papa, but I can come back later…?"

"I-I'd like that."

"Good. Then I'll see you in a couple hours!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sent some texts to my other friends, each letting them know that I was up and okay. Izuku and Ochaco responded with relief, while Katsuki called me an airhead for being caught out so quick. He wasn't wrong, so I didn't disagree. I enjoyed a lovely dinner with Baba and Papa, with Papa making his famous mac and cheese comfort food. School for tomorrow was cancelled due to the event, so I decided to spend the day helping my grandparents around the farm. I wasn't able to help them as much as I used to since going to school, and there were some things that Baba and Papa simply didn't have the strength to do anymore.

After dinner I laid out my farm clothes for tomorrow: short overalls and an old favorite white shirt. I decided to lay out my big ol' farmer's hat that Baba had made for me (she put little flowers in it to make it more feminine, and when the flowers wilted she put new ones in), and my thoroughly dirty, clunky, and forever manure-stained boots. It was going to be a hot day tomorrow, so I opted for a slimmer pair of socks and work gloves.

' _That way I can roll outta bed at Shōto's and immediately get dressed before going to work,_ ' I thought to myself. Then remembering work, I made a quick call to my manager and let her know about my leg. She told me to take a small break—as being at the café would require standing all day which might be uncomfortable with the bandages—and to come back in a couple weeks. That and a badly injured leg wasn't very nice to look at, so it might scare off some of our family customers.

It would suck to miss out on a whole paycheck, but luckily I had reserve money, and I didn't _need_ anything too pressing.

' _I'll have to split the grocery bill with Baba, though_ ,' I thought, feeling a little frustrated at that.

Since we lived in a small town we didn't really have one of those big fancy supermarkets. We had a small local general store that supplied the basics—which everyone went to—but about once a month a few members would go into one of the big towns on a tractor and get the big stuff for everyone. Stuff like rare spices, seafood, certain sauces, and whatnot. Things we didn't have in our town.

That delegation had been permanently handed off to me and Baba since I could teleport quickly. Everyone wrote down what they needed, and I would purchase. I tended to use my own money towards it unless it was something really expensive, like a new oven, because I knew how financially strained everyone was. All my money was essentially free and I only needed it for groceries, clothes, and school supplies. I got paid decently, and I got tipped regularly, so I had a good surplus of extra cash to spend and nothing to spend it on.

Besides, everyone here was like family. Everyone had definitely changed my diapers more than once, and I had grown up calling everyone Auntie, Uncle, Big brother, or Big sister. It felt good to be able to help them.

( _Let me redeem myself a bit_ )

Unfortunately with a missing paycheck this month I doubted I'd be able to do that _and_ cover the whole grocery bill for Baba.

' _Money, oh, money, why can't you grow on trees?_ ' I thought for the umpteenth time that life.

I changed into pajamas and got ready for bed before I teleported back to Shōto's room. My precious person was sitting on his bed, already in pajamas and flipping through a novel. He looked up at noticing me, his eyes lingering on my injured leg. "Do you—do you want some ice?"

"I'll let you know if I need anything," I reassured him, flopping down onto his bed. Shōto slept on a traditional Japanese floor bed. He used to only have a single, but a few years ago he got a double. I laid down on my usual side and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm working on the farm tomorrow, so I gotta get up before five."

"That's fine," Shōto told me, getting up and turning off the lights. He came back to the bed and laid beside me, pulling the covers up on both of us. "Are you okay to do that kind of work, though?"

I couldn't resist sighing. "Sho-chan, _I'm fine_."

He rolled over to face me, the crease back. "I—" Shōto stopped himself for a moment, then rolled onto his back once more, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't want you to act so reckless again."

"I promise not to act without thought," I promised him, "but I'm training to be a hero, Sho-chan. Sometimes you don't have a choice but to go in."

Shōto didn't respond for a while, choosing instead to close his eyes and let out a long drawn-out sigh. "You're right. I shouldn't ask that of you. A certain recklessness is required of a hero, and I know that."

I scooted into his side, resting my head on his upper arm. "Thank you for being a worry-wart."

"Always," he told me.

"Always and always?"

"Always and always."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I carried the watering can over to our more delicate garden. Most of our stuff we had sprinklers built in, but some of Baba's flowers required careful one-on-one watering instead of the mass watering our vegetables got. Since I was helping out for the day Papa went over to his brother's farm to help him with the hay, while I did the grunt work. They had been doing a good job keeping up on weeding, so I didn't have to do much of that; but there were holes in the fences that needed fixed; dirt holes that had formed; fertilizer had to be laid out for our resting field; some leaves had died off and needed trimming to keep the plant alive; paint jobs, etc, etc.

My leg protested the first hour in, and I had to take a few breaks before continuing on.

By the time the sun had risen above me—a little after ten in the morning—I had the worst of it taken care of, and now I only had to tend to Baba's flower garden.

It was unbelievably hot, and I was covered in sweat, dirt, and a little bit of blood from my bandages being soaked through.

Ooh, I knew if Recovery Girl saw what I was doing right after being released I would get my hide tanned.

Couldn't be helped, though. Baba and Papa weren't able to take care of this sort of stuff on their own anymore. Once I was done here, I'd head over to our neighbors and help them for the day, too. Most of the kids around here—people my age or a bit older—took care of everyone, but a lot of them were still at boarding school. I was one of the few around (as there were a couple that chose not to go to school, and instead become full-time farmers).

We all helped each other out. That's what being a big family meant.

I watered Baba's tenacious roses, and clipped a few leaves from her dragon snaps. Her garden required the most focus, as I had to actually pay attention to what I was doing since the things were so delicate. As a result, I didn't get done until lunch time that day.

My leg cried in relief when I finally sat down in the shade to rest for a while. Baba brought out some meaty sandwiches, chips, watermelon, and lemonade.

"Mm," I moaned in contentment at seeing my full plate. "You spoil me, Baba."

Baba let out a raspy laugh, shaking her head. "Your Papa and I are very grateful for all that you do, Kiyo-chan. You're a blessing to this farm."

I blushed at her praise.

( _Let this peace last, please_ )

Baba sat beside me, pulling out her dainty handkerchief and wiping at the grime over my eyes. "Want anything special tonight for dinner?"

"Nnn—yeah. Koi sushi."

"Okay," Baba agreed. "Are you still okay to go shopping for the town this weekend?"

"Yeah, that's not an issue. Um, I'll need help getting groceries this week, though," I apologized. "The manager doesn't want me at work as long as I still need bandages over my leg."

Baba waved off my apology. "Dearest, I'd take care of all the groceries if you'd let me."

"We both know if you tried that I'd hide your wallet," I told her, which made her laugh, recalling that was exactly what I done after my first paycheck.

"Oh, I forgot. Nezu-san called asking for you. Be sure to call him back when you can."

My eyebrows rose in surprise at that. I didn't keep my phone with me when I worked the farm after the first couple times I dropped it in the fertilizer. "Okay, thanks."

We enjoyed a quiet lunch, and then I headed out to the other farms to offer my assistance—which was accepted with gratitude. When night fell, I returned home and took a long bath. I took the opportunity to message Nezu inside the tub while I was relaxing, thinking I'd better catch him before it got too late.

 _ **Baba said you asked for me?**_

I got a reply a couple minutes later. _**Yes, indeedy! I can't ground you officially, but I**_ **can** _ **give you detention. You have two weeks' worth of detention with Aizawa for disobeying your teacher, and I expect a 10 page essay on the importance of self-preservation on my desk within the week.**_

I couldn't resist letting out a squawk of horror.

 _ **Yes, Shishō…**_

 _ **Good work, Kiyo-chan. I'm proud of you.**_

Despite the looming homework that awaited me, I couldn't help but smile brightly at that.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Transition chapter. Up next is the sports festival. Wow this story goes back fast!_

 _ **Answer:**_ _Skulduggery Pleasant!_

 _ **Question:**_ _What is your weakness? Your "kryptonite"?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	7. Let the Games Begin!

**When a difficult choice comes up step back from it. Take a deep breath, and think about** _ **you**_ **, because at the end of the day** _ **you**_ **are what matters the most. You will know what the right choice is, even if it's hard stick by what you chose. Only you know what's best for you.**

 **I hope this chapter will make you smile.**

 **Beta:** emplatinum

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Classes resumed the following day. I was a bit slow in the morning because I had to change my bedsheets after realizing I had bled through my bandages. I wasn't able to wear my usual leggings to school either because the bandages around my leg were too thick.

It felt weird going to school with bare legs—not that I was a prude, but it was always so _cold_ in the classroom and I didn't have any light jackets (I tore holes in them and Baba was working on fixing them back up, but it would be a while) so it was either big heavy coat or be cold. Which was not fun either way.

I grabbed Baba's lunch for me and kissed her and Papa on the cheek before I teleported straight into the classroom.

' _Why is it so much colder today than normal?_ ' I thought with disdain, taking my usual seat. Goosebumps crawled up and down my arms and I pulled my school jacket tighter around me. Shōto came into the classroom and took his spot beside me, looking over at me with a furrowed brow.

"Are you okay?" Shōto asked me.

"I'm a little cold. I usually wear thick leggings to school but I can't because of the bandages," I confessed quietly.

Shōto let out a soft _oh_. "I have a sweater at home if you'd like it. It's thicker than the school jackets."

I gave my friend a look of sheer gratitude. " _Thank you_. Jeez, I really need to go shopping for more cool-weather stuff."

"It's not a problem," Shōto assured me. "It's in my dresser, third drawer. It's the red one."

With another thank you I teleported straight to Shōto's room and grabbed the aforementioned sweater. I left my school uniform jacket off and slipped on the nice and cozy soft sweater with glee. Shōto's dresser was heated—because rich boys have heated dressers apparently—so the sweater was nice and toasty as if it had just been taken out of a dryer.

I popped back to my seat and sighed contentedly. "This is perfect. Thank you."

Shōto shrugged. "I'm not wearing it, no reason not to let you have it."

"You're the best," I told him, then sniffed at the sweater. "Ah, it smells like you!"

Shōto's cheeks turned red but before I could tease him Izuku and Ochaco came into the classroom. Ochaco beamed at seeing me. "Kiyo-chan! All better?"

I gestured towards my bandaged leg. "On light duty for the week, but I'll be golden by the weekend I hope."

Ochaco slid into her seat and looked at my leg worriedly. "Does it hurt? Do you have to skip gym?"

"It's a little throbby, but not painful enough to really comment on it," I answered. "I'll be fine, please don't worry about me."

"Don't be silly," Izuku said. "We're your friends, of course we're going to worry."

I smiled in response at that. "You're sweethearts, you know that?"

"Sweet like candy," Ochaco declared. "Ah! I wanted to ask you yesterday but I forgot—have you trained with Aizawa-sensei before? The both of you fought really well together, or at least it looked that way to me."

A sense of discomfort briefly settled over me before it disappeared. "Not in a situation like that. I've had experience fighting, though, and Cactus-sensei and I have sparred. I don't really remember those occasions, but I've been told they were interesting to watch."

"You don't remember?"

I blushed. "It happens. Sometimes I have blank spots in my memories, but it's nothing to concern yourself with. Shishō has already looked into it and assured me it's nothing detrimental, or to be worried about."

Ochaco frowned at that. "That still seems a little scary."

Before I could respond to that Aizawa walked in, perfectly healthy and sleep-deprived. "Let's get to work. The U.A. sports festival is drawing near."

Most of the students shouted, "That's a supernormal school event!"

Aizawa went on to describe the event, stating it would happen in about a month. Since I knew all that information already it was a little hard not to tune out, especially when I was distracted by something else.

The sweater was supernaturally cozy.

When I thought no one was looking I gave the sweater another sniff and wondered how I could replicate it. Shōto always smelled nice, so I found his scent comforting. Maybe if I could replicate it—or hold onto something that smelled nice—then on the nights I couldn't sleep over I could sleep with that instead?

' _Would he let me keep this?_ ' I wondered, then immediately dismissed the thought. It'd be rude to straight up ask for his sweater indefinitely.

Aizawa started up lessons shortly afterwards, but I still had trouble focusing. When it was finally time for lunch my friends headed out of the classroom, but I stayed in my seat. Ochaco inquired if I would be tagging along, but I told her I had to change my bandages.

I headed back home temporarily to do so and when I was back in the classroom only Shōto remained at his seat, calmly eating his bento.

I cocked my head at the scene. "You don't want to eat with everyone else?"

"Sometimes it's nice to have a quiet lunch. The caféteria is a bit on the loud side," Shōto explained, glancing down at the novel he was reading while he ate. "And I'm at a good part."

I nodded my head in understanding and opened up my lunch to eat beside him.

We enjoyed our quiet lunch together, each reading our separate novels.

It was with great reluctance that I gave Shōto back his sweater after class.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

At the end of the day Ochaco asked me, "Do you wanna come over, Kiyo-chan?"

"I'd love to, but today I have detention with Cactus-sensei," I apologized. "I can come over later tonight though, if that's okay?"

Ochaco gave me a thumbs-up. "Okay! I'll have dinner for ya."

"Thanks!"

"Why do you have detention?" Izuku asked me, a frown on his face.

"... To learn self-preservation."

"That is an important skill," Shōto deadpanned, "that you utterly lack."

"That's not true!" I objected.

"Well, have fun with that," Izuku said.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Aizawa looked down at me, tired eyes peering at me with a level of sternness and intensity that made me want to look away. "Kiyo, do you know why you're here?"

"To learn about the importance of self-preservation," I obediently recited.

"Do you know _why_?"

"Because I acted recklessly and needlessly endangered myself?" I guessed. "In my defense, though, I still stand by my initial reasons. You rely on working the backline, you're not a frontline fighter. I was able to draw more attention to myself because I appeared to be the easier target between the two."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow.

" _And_ we had to think about the other students. None of them have had experience dealing with this sort of thing. At least I've trained for it in simulations with older students," I pointed out. "From a logical view, it makes the most sense for—"

"Enough," Aizawa cut me off. "You are incorrect. _You_ are still a student, experience and training aside. You should have stayed with the group and assisted 13 in protecting them from villains that escaped me. You should have _used_ that experience to get your fellow students out of harm's way. Instead, you recklessly threw yourself into the masses, and your classmates were ultimately separated and put into dangerous situations."

His words nettled with me, and I felt my stomach clench unpleasantly. "I see."

"You prioritized violence over rescue," Aizawa finished softly.

"Oh," was all I could say. Reflecting on it, Aizawa was correct. I immediately saw a threat and instead of focusing my efforts on protecting my friends, I moved to eliminate the threat. At the time I believed the two were the same, but in hindsight I was wrong. By placing myself in the heart of the fray, I made it near impossible to keep a close watch on my classmates, thus leaving them vulnerable to attack.

(It could briefly be argued that was not my responsibility because I was a student, but that argument went out the window when my actions essentially screamed for me to be treated like a hero already.)

Heroes couldn't avoid violence, but they should never seek it out; and definitely shouldn't choose it over protecting.

Feeling chastised and more than a little embarrassed (humiliated), I looked down and clenched my hands into fists.

Softly, sincerely, I said, "I'm sorry."

Aizawa made an affirming sound. "Now you are. Get started on your essay."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Once detention was over, I checked my phone.

 _ **Do you want to borrow another sweater tomorrow?**_ Shōto asked me.

 _ **Yes, please.**_ I didn't even hesitate in that response. I still couldn't believe how cozy that sweater was, and I was curious if it was the one sweater, or of all of Shōto's sweaters were comfortable.

 _ **Okay. I'll bring some to school. You can hold on to them however long you want. I don't need them.**_

My cheeks warmed at that, and I felt a rush of gratitude towards my dearest companion.

… _**(óò)**_ _ **ﾉ**_ _ **I love you. You're my hero.**_

 _ **I know.**_

His response made me snort, and I held my phone close to my chest for a moment before deciding to head over to Ochaco's.

"Hi, Ocha-chan!" I greeted as I teleported into Ochaco's apartment.

The cutie looked up from what she was focusing on at the stove and gave me a beaming smile. "Kiyo-chan, hi! How was detention?"

My nose crinkled. "Boring."

"I've heard that's how detentions go," Ochaco said, rocking to the ball of her heel before dramatically flipping over an omelet. It landed perfectly. " _Yes_!"

I applauded her. "Good flip!"

Ochaco grinned smugly. "I'm an omelet master. No egg is unflippable to me!"

I bowed to her. "Long live the Omelet Master. Praise be to the Omelet Master."

Ochaco switched off her burner and set the skillet aside. She puffed up her chest in a dramatic fashion and preened. The display made me snort a giggle, which caused Ochaco to laugh. With her usual kind smile she asked me, "What would you like to drink? I've got milk, water, and a couple selections of tea."

"Ooh, what kind of tea?"

"Um," Ochaco responded, scrunching up her face before she turned abruptly towards one of her cabinets. She opened it, displaying an impressive amount of junk food and a tiny little stack of tea boxes. She read them off, "White peach, Green orange, and some good ol' English Breakfast."

"White peach, please," I told her. She plucked out the box and flipped on a steamer. Then she plopped the freshly made omelet onto a plate, and I noticed she already had a second omelet plated. I helped her carry the plates over to her low table in the living room. Her couch was cluttered with textbooks, and workbooks.

Ah, that reminded me.

"How did the scholarship exam go?" I asked her.

"Well, I think it went well. The practical is this coming weekend, but Nezu-sensei said he would still verbally quiz me during it."

I nodded, recalling my own exams. "Yeah. The questions aren't as hard as the written, but he'll time you."

Ochaco grimaced. "I figured. I've been reviewing as much as I can. He's not gonna ask math questions, is he?"

I laughed. "No. It'll be practical stuff, like what do you do in an earthquake?"

"Oh, thank goodness."

I patted her the shoulder consolingly. The steamer went off and she poured us some hot water in cups before placing the tea bags in them. While the tea brewed we chatted for a bit more, and then Ochaco put in _Cinderella_ to watch while we ate.

It was a pleasant night.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next day after school I suggested that the whole group got together that weekend.

Izuku was surprised by that. "What are you wanting to do?"

I beamed. "One of my aunties gave me six tickets to Disneyland in Tokyo."

Ochaco let out a squeal similar to a pterodactyl and threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist and spinning me around. " _Are you serious!?_ "

Laughter escaped me as I spun around. "Yeah! She was gonna take her grandkids, but they all had other plans, so… You guys up for it? Pretty please?"

"It sounds like a perfectly safe adventure," Izuku said, sighing with relief. "I'd love to go."

"I think I can go," Shōto said after a pause. "It's only for one day, right?"

"Yeah," I told him. "We can go on Sunday, since Ocha-chan is taking her exam Saturday."

Ochaco let out another squeal, hopping up and down and picking me up with her. "It'll be my reward!"

"Great! I'll go ask Bocchan, and then we can set up the time to meet up, yeah?"

"Think Kacchan will wanna come?" Izuku inquired dubiously. "He's not much of a crowd person."

I shrugged. "He might. He'll get pissy if I don't at least ask, though."

"Ah, that's true."

Since Ochaco was still hugging me, I had to send a text to him instead. _**Going to Disneyland this Sunday. Me, Ocha, Sho, Izu… and now you!**_ (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

 _ **Declined.**_

 _ **Come on, you know you wanna.**_

 _ **No. Fuck off.**_

 _ **C'mon, Bocchan! We all would love it if you played with us.**_

 _ **No.**_

 _ **Please?**_

 _ **No.**_

( 。◕ヮ◕。 ) _**Please?**_

 _ **Ask again and I'll kill you.**_

With a sigh I put away my phone. "Yeah, he's not coming."

Shōto gave me a consoling pat on the shoulder.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The week went by pretty quick after the decision was made. While Katsuki didn't want to tag along, he did demand I bring him back a souvenir since I bothered him about it in the first place.

We all got to the park pretty early, each of us taking the bullet train out to Tokyo (since I couldn't teleport Ochaco with us, it felt rude for her to be the only one to have to take the train). Despite the early hour it was, of course, completely crowded and busy.

Still, that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves.

We got about six good rides in before it was time for the lunch break, and the four of us found a shaded area and munched on the bentos Baba made for us. We sat on the stone wall, lined up, and passed the side dishes amongst ourselves.

Ochaco took a huge gulp of her water and let out a big breath. "Boy! What a day."

"The lines sure are big," Izuku said. "I'm glad we were able to get that many rides in."

"The fast pass helps, I think," I observed.

"Are all amusement parks all like this?" Shōto asked.

Izuku leaned in front (as I sat in between him and Shōto, with Ochaco on Izuku's other side) to give Shōto a look of surprise. "You've never been to one?"

Shōto shook his head. "No. There wasn't much reason for me to go to one before."

"They're great. I used to go to them a lot when I was younger," Ochaco said with a grin. "But I've never been to Disneyland. This place is _huge_."

Nodding emphatically, I said, "I've only been to the little carnivals they had at the nearby towns. I think if I came here by myself I would have been overwhelmed."

"I think you would have been fine," Shōto disagreed.

"You're sweet for thinking that," I laughed, reaching over and placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. Then I looked up at the pretty blue sky. "But I've never been around so many people before! And it's so crowded. Ah, wow, that cloud looks like a bunny."

When I got no response I curiously looked at my friends. Shōto was red-faced and staring intently at his rice, while Ochaco and Izuku were blushing and gaping at me. I blinked at the odd the display.

"What?" I asked.

"N-Nothing!" Ochaco quickly answered. "Ah, sorry, I didn't realize you two were dating. I mean I know most of the class thinks that, but—"

"We aren't dating, Sho-chan's never asked me out," I corrected her. "Ah, was it the kiss? Sorry, I don't do it often but sometimes it just happens. I'm not sure if you guys have noticed, but I'm a very affectionate person."

"Anyone who has ever met you knows that," Izuku chuckled. "S-Sorry for the presumption."

"It's no big deal. I spaced out there a bit," I said, blushing. It wasn't that I was embarrassed about kissing Shōto on the cheek—I had done that plenty of times before, after all, although it would be the first time in front of our friends—so much as they were making it to be bigger than it was. It was a gesture of strong affection, nothing more.

Shōto shifted beside me. "The class thinks we're dating?"

"Um, well, yeah," Ochaco said. "You guys always eat together, leave together, usually go to class together, and Kiyo-chan even wore your sweaters this week. Finally, no offense Todoroki-kun, but you're a lot nicer to Kiyo-chan than anyone else."

Shōto blinked. "Oh."

I scratched my cheek. "Huh."

The two of us looked over at each other—both of us still blushing (and I felt bad I embarrassed him)—then we shrugged and returned to the food.

"So the cloud looks like a rabbit?" Shōto asked, looking up. "Which one?"

I squinted at the sky. "It looks like a top hat now."

"Oh, I see it."

Izuku and Ochaco exchanged glances, then Ochaco burst into giggles and Izuku snorted out a snicker. Ochaco pointed up and said, "I think that one looks like a dog!"

"Hey, it kinda does," Izuku and I agreed.

And we continued to enjoy our lovely day at the park.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Bocchan, look! I got you a Rapunzel dress. AH! Stop! Stop hitting me! I kid, I kid. It was for your mom. Here, I got you food instead!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The days passed by in a comfortable manner. My leg healed well, I was able to keep the bandages off after the first week. Our classes resumed in a normal manner, and every day after school I would spend time with one of my friends. On the weekends I would work the farm with Baba and Papa, and finish my homework.

After about a month of normalcy the routine was shaken up with the arrival of the annual Sports Festival.

I shot up in bed, excited and anxious. My alarm clock read out the numbers 4:30 and I knew for sure I would not be going back to sleep.

Feeling thoroughly pumped I hopped out of bed and texted Nezu. _**I'm gonna make you super-duper proud!**_

The best teacher in the whole world immediately responded back. _**I'll be super-duper waiting! Nemuri-chan will give you a special surprise at the festival, so do your best, okay?**_

My resounding squeal woke Baba and Papa up and they took one look at me before rolling their eyes and getting up for the day. Baba fixed me up some tea while Papa forced me to sit still while he brushed my hair.

"We'll all be watching you," Baba said, placing the steaming cup of white tea in front of me. "We'll be over at Hana-chan's place to watch it on their big T.V."

"That's right," Papa said, quickly untangling my knotty hair. "High resolution!"

"So everyone's gonna be watching me?" I asked, my stomach flip-flopping. "Oh, boy."

Baba kissed my forehead. "We'll be rooting for you. We know you'll do great."

"You'll always be our little girl, though, so don't push yourself too hard," Papa warned me.

"I know, I know. I'm going to do my absolute best, though."

"We know," they said.

When it got a bit closer to decent hours I sent out texts to each of my friends.

To Katsuki: _**Let's do our best!**_

(He responded with: _**Try for second place, Bubblegum. I'll be taking first.**_ )

To Izuku: _**Let's kick some booty!**_

(He responded with: _**Yep! Good luck!**_ _)_

To Ochaco: _**Good luck, buttercup! ;)**_

(She responded with: _**Right back at you, honeypie! ;)**_ )

To Shōto: _**Let's have some fun together, 'kay?**_

Shōto didn't respond. Which was odd—he was very good about responding—but I didn't put much thought into it. I headed to school and we were immediately rounded up and sent to the locker rooms to put on our gym clothes.

Then we were sent off to a waiting room, and I sat beside Ochaco and Katsuki, practically vibrating in my seat with anxiety.

Katsuki snapped, "Would you calm down?"

"How can you _not_ be pumped?" I demanded. Izuku slid into a seat beside Ochaco.

Katsuki smirked. "Because I already know the outcome."

"Knowing that I'm going to win doesn't make me any less nervous," I dismissed.

"Eh? Big talk for a bubblegum princess," Katsuki taunted.

"Eh? Big talk for a spoiled cry baby," I retorted.

He slammed his hands on the desk, standing up with a growl. "Wanna go, twinkletoes?"

"I'm _so_ gonna kick your ass," I declared.

"How about we _don't_ start fights right before the festival," Ochaco hesitantly put in.

"That seems like sound advise," Izuku agreed.

Shōto came in and I waved at him, putting on a huge smile. I had to admit I felt a little calmer when I saw my best friend. Shōto froze when he looked at me, almost like a deer in headlights, then his posture stiffened and he abruptly turned away.

Thrown for a loop at that, I frowned. Then Katsuki's next taunt caught my attention and I was back to shit-talking my friend and riling him up.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Okay! Are you ready? It's time for the first year class to enter!"

My heart was pounding so loud I thought for sure it would jump straight out of my chest and start a fifty meter dash. My hands were profusely sweating and I honestly couldn't feel my legs. Yet I moved with the class when they told us it was time to head out, and I followed closely behind Ochaco and Izuku as they lead the class out into the field of the arena.

The U.A. arena for the first year group was massive, unsurprisingly. It was an extravagant colosseum and packed with hundreds of thousands citizens all cheering. Present Mic shouted across the intercom, "The U.A. sports festival! The huge battle where fledgling heroes sharpen their swords once a year. Anyway, these are the guys, right? The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero course, Class 1-A, right?!"

Our class continued to walk across the grass as the crowd roared its approval. I heard my classmates chatter quietly amongst each other about the crowd, but I was so nervous I could barely do anything more than focus on trying not to trip.

I did not succeed.

Thankfully Katsuki grabbed the back of my shirt before I did more than stumble and sneered. "You're a fucking clutz today, aren't you?"

I wheezed. "So. Many. People."

"Victory will be laughably easy, then."

"Shuddup."

"They haven't been getting as much airtime, but this class is also full of talent!" Present Mic boomed as Class 1-B came out. "Next up, general studies Classes C, D, and E! Support course, Classes F, G, and H are here, too! And business course, Classes I, J, and K! All of U.A.'s first years are here now."

The classes lined up in accordance and Nemuri (Also known as R-Rated Hero Midnight) stepped up onto the platform. She wore her dazzling smile and waved her whip before shouting, "Be quiet! Representing the students is Kiyomi Marin from Class 1-A!"

A choked sound escaped my lips as I remembered Nezu's morning text to me.

' _This was his special surprise!? I don't have anything prepared!_ '

Still, my legs robotically moved on their own and I approached the stage. Nemuri, one of the few teachers that helped train me, smiled softly at me and winked. "Just keep smiling, Kiyo-chan."

The smile I wore at the café immediately took over my face and I approached the microphone.

' _What do people say in this?! Oh my God what if I'm not wearing pants?!_ ' I immediately looked down and felt immeasurable amount of relief that I was in fact wearing pants.

"Sa, are you ready for the pledge?" Nemuri asked.

"Y-Yes," I managed. "I pledge—I pledge—to promote—to promote positivity, play fairly, and do my absolute best."

Nemuri giggled cutely and clapped her hands. "Ah! Nezu-kun was right, your face was priceless."

' _That's harassment!_ ' I inwardly cried, moving quickly off the platform. ' _Betrayed! I feel so betrayed, Shishō! How could you?!_ '

"Okay," Nemuri said, "Let's get started right away, then! The first game is what you'd call a qualifier. Every year, many drink their tears here. Now, here is the fateful first game!"

A massive screen lowered behind Nemuri, and like a slot machine it whirled around many choices before settling on: Obstacle Race.

Nemuri looked back at the screen. "All 11 classes will participate in this race. The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium; about four kilometers. Our school's selling point is freedom." Nemuri licked her lips. "As long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do. Now take your places everyone!"

A red gate at the far end of the arena lit up, signalling itself as the starting point.

The first round was ridiculously in favor of anyone with a speedy Quirk, but I supposed that was only fitting. There would be a lot of situations and environments that were advantageous for certain Quirks, and disadvantageous for others. How to overcome the disadvantages, or capitalize on the advantages to the fullest was an essential skill.

I could play it fair and only run instead of using my teleportation Quirk, but I wanted to win the whole thing. Nezu pressed that it was an important tournament and that I ought to give it my best go.

So, I decided I would go ahead and use my teleportation Quirk. I'd teleport enough so I was ahead of the group, but in small enough bursts that it wouldn't put a drain on my wand. I still had at least two more rounds to go, after all.

Still, the fact that the race was so obviously in my favor… I looked over at Katsuki and smirked.

The tsundere glared at me with all the hate he could muster.

The counter started and as soon as it hit zero the gates opened up to the outside of the stadium and the students rushed through the tiny gap. I looked at the sky and immediately teleported above and through the tunnel, finding myself pretty high off the ground.

Then to my utter surprise the tunnel I had only recently left filled with Shōto's ice Quirk.

Shōto sprinted out of the tunnel, leaving behind a frozen pathway and freezing almost all of the student body behind him.

"Wow, nice going, Sho-chan!" I cheered for him.

Shōto looked up at me briefly, then a scowl twisted over his face and he sprinted forward.

' _Ah, maybe he feels competitive?_ ' I thought to myself. ' _That's a good thing! He's never been able to really be a part of these things before, so the fact that's really getting into it…_ '

Happiness bloomed inside of my chest for him.

' _But I won't go easy just 'cause I like you!_ '

I teleported ahead of him, then again once more. It wasn't long before him and the other students were dots in the background.

' _I don't know if Shishō put Magi Dust on this course, so I gotta take as big of a lead as I can._ '

Of course that was equally unlikely as it was likely. The course had to pose some opposition, but it would be unfair to completely hinder or cancel out someone's Quirks in a festival like such. It would be a toss up on Nezu's mood when he designed the challenges. Did he feel generous and leave out the wretched stuff? Or did he want to pose more of a challenge?

The answer came when I reached the final stretch and I found that I couldn't teleport to the end gate.

It was a big stretch of _seemingly_ untouched dirt but that practically screamed booby trap.

So I summoned up one of my bubbles, hopped on it, and slowly drifted across the field. I stayed a good five meters above the ground, eyeing it warily.

Then I reached the end, my fellow students nowhere to be found, and I crossed the finish line.

Present Mic's voice boomed across the intercom, "And to no surprise our resident Magi Quirk user is the first to complete the obstacle course; yes, U.A.'s very own Kiyomi Marin!"

The crowd screamed and stomped, and Present Mic and Aizawa went back to talking about the rest of the students.

Nemuri was waiting for me, smirking. "I told him to put the dust everywhere."

"That would have been cruel after what you two already did," I accused her. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack."

She laughed. "Well, I'm looking forward to how well you'll do in the next game."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her. "You didn't persuade Shishō to do something perverted, did you?"

She gave a mock-gasp. " _Me?_ Perverted? I have _no_ idea what you mean, Kiyo-chan."

"I will tell Cactus-sensei on you again," I threatened.

"Tch. It's not my fault you teleported into the strip club."

"You told me to teleport straight to you!" I cried out. "I'm scarred for life from what I saw."

"Your future husband or wife will thank me for it later, I'm sure," Nemuri dismissed breezily.

"Todoroki from Class 1-A! He attacked and defended in one hit!" Present Mic shouted.

Nemuri's eyes narrowed with a smug glee and she licked her lips. "Ooh, yes. Todoroki-kun, I remember you telling me about _him_."

"You are _not_ taking him to a strip club!"

She giggled adorably. "I wouldn't, he's a tad too young for me. Still, it's cute how he took the exams with you."

My shoulders lifted up into a shrug. "Well, since we had to take the Entrance Exams, might as well do it together, yeah?"

"He didn't."

"Huh?"

"He didn't have to. He already had a free pass to the school," Nemuri told me gleefully. "But he asked to still attend. Isn't that adorable?"

My cheeks warmed immediately and I felt a rush of nervous energy go through me. "U-Um."

"My cute little students," Nemuri cooed, "so young and in love."

" _U-Um._ "

"Ah! That face! I'm so glad this is on camera so Nezu-kun can't miss it," Nemuri cackled, clapping her hands together. I promptly buried my face in my hands so she couldn't find any more amusement with it. "You actually covered your face now, oh my gosh you're so innocent."

" _So mean_."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **A brief interlude with Nezu**

Nezu looked over at the television that was broadcasting the first year. He was obviously recording it through his own security cameras to look over it after the festival, but he still wanted to see it live.

"Ah, look at my adorable little student growing up," Nezu mock sniffed. "It was only yesterday I had a cute little girl following me around and calling me Shishō… hanging onto my every word."

"She still does that," Ryo Inu deadpanned.

" _But not as much_ ," Nezu whined. "Oh, look at that face of utter mortification!"

"Your sadistic streak is starting to show a bit, Nezu-san…"

 **End of the interlude**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I stood at the end, listening to Aizawa and Present Mic talk about the race. It sure did seem like it would have been a difficult one if I had been Quirkless. When everyone got to that stretch of dirt that I had to float over, I couldn't repress my surprise at finding out it was a minefield.

' _How brutal. I feel so bad for the students not in the hero course,_ ' I thought.

When I could finally see Shōto and Katsuki in the distance I beamed and waved at the two of them. "Sho-chan! Bocchan! Do your best."

Suddenly, Izuku shot out above them from a massive explosion, a wicked grin on his face. He was hugging some kind of piece of metal and as he neared the ground he abruptly launched himself from it (with power that made me think he was using his Quirk) and tumbled into the air.

He somersaulted for several meters before popping back up and sprinting across the finish line. "S-SAFE!"

I cheered and ran over to my friend throwing my arms around him and hugging him. "That was great! That looked just like the time I made you go white water rafting with me and we tumbled over the waterfall—"

"And I had to jump from the boat to you before we hit the rocks, yes, I remember," Izuku said, a weary look on his face as he recalled the adventure. "Our adventures have really helped me adapt to crazy situations, I think."

"Hooray for that," I said, beaming.

He coughed, and which caused me to realize he was out of breath and pretty sweaty. I took a step back to give him some breathing room, listening to the crowd scream out its approval. My own victory was lackluster, and boring; whereas Izuku made quite a splash.

Shōto and Katsuki had crossed the line in that time, and Katsuki was thoroughly pissed and breathing heavily. Shōto, equally out of breath, was looking up at the sky.

I moved to approach him, but he walked away.

' _Oh, maybe he needs a moment to recollect himself?_ '

So I hopped on over to Katsuki, wiggling my eyebrows up and down.

"I fucking hate you," he wheezed. "Come here so I can hit you."

I squatted down to look him in the eyes, since he was bent over. "Don't worry 'bout it. There's two more rounds, and they can't _all_ be races. There's no way they won't have a fighting competition."

A smirk crawled back on his face. "And I'll be breaking your legs."

"That's the spirit."

The rest of the students started to arrive, one by one. I joined Ochaco and Izuku, enjoying their happy attitudes about the whole ordeal. Ochaco gushed about the two of us, her eyes brimming with joy on our behalf, and a determined smile on her face.

After everyone had arrived, Nemuri took to the center stage with an air of glee. "The first game of the first-year stage is finally over. Now take a look at the results."

 **Class A: Kiyomi Marin**

 **Class A: Izuku Midoriya**

 **Class A: Shōto Todoroki**

 **Class A: Katsuki Bakugou**

 **Class B: Ibara Shiozaki**

 **Class B: Juzo Honenuki**

 **Class A: Tenya Iida**

 **Class A: Fumikage Tokoyami**

 **Class A: Hanta Sero**

 **Class A: Eijirō Kirishima**

 **Class B: Tetsutetsu Testsutestu**

 **Class A: Mashirao Ojiro**

 **Class B: Yosetsu Awase**

 **Class A: Tsuyu Asui**

 **Class A: Mezo Shoji**

 **Class B: Rikido Sato**

 **Class A: Ochaco Uraraka**

 **Class A: Momo Yaoyorozu**

 **Class A: Minorou Mineta**

 **Class A: Mina Ashido**

And on the list went.

"The top 42 made it through to the next round. It's unfortunate, but don't worry even if you didn't make it. We've prepared other chances for you to shine. The real competition begins next!" Nemuri's eyes barely glanced over to me, but I could practically _feel_ her sadistic glee at what was to come next.

' _Why am I so worried? I'm sure they wouldn't do anything super cruel,_ ' I consoled myself.

She waved her whip around and the screen rolled. "Now then, here is the second game. I already know what it is, but what could it be? What could it be? I just said it now, so here it is: Cavalry Battle!"

' _A team oriented one, now?_ ' I thought.

"Now let me explain. The participants can form teams of two to four people as they wish. It's basically the same as a regular cavalry battle, but the one thing that's different is based on the results of the last game each person has been assigned a point value."

' _So everyone each team is worth different points depending on who's… Oh,_ no.'

(The voices started laughing)

Nemuri's eyes gleamed with delight, a cruel smile curling her lips.

"The points assigned go up by five starting from the bottom. So 42nd place gets five points and 41st gets ten points. And the point value assigned to first place is ten million!"

I shuddered as I felt the gaze of many students on me. My stomach churned anxiously at their intense looks and I couldn't resist fiddling with my fingers. I had done a splendid job of getting over my social anxiety thanks to the café, but having _so many_ practically glare at me was incredibly uncomfortable.

' _This is cruel! You are so friggin' cruel, Shishō. You knew I would get first place…!_ '

(Oh how they howled with laughter)

Nemuri's elated expression made me want to go back home and crawl into bed. "Yes. _Yes_. It's survival of the fittest, with a chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! Those at the top will suffer more. You'll hear this many times as you attend U.A.: This is what _Plus Ultra_ means. Kiyomi Marin, who placed first in the qualifier, is worth ten million points.

"Now then, I will explain the rules of the cavalry battle. The time limit is fifteen minutes. Each team is worth the total of its members' points and the riders will wear a headband with that number on their foreheads. Teams will try to grab each other's headbands until time runs out, and try to keep as many points as they can. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up. So the more you steal, the harder it'll be to manage them. And the most important thing is that even if your headband gets stolen or if your team falls, you're not out.

"During the game, it'll be cruel to fight where you can use your Quirks. But it is still a cavalry battle. You'll get a red card for attacks that are trying to make people fall on purpose. You'll be removed immediately. Now you have fifteen minutes to build your teams. Start!"

I made a beeline towards Ochaco, practically tackling into her and crying out, "Please be on my team, Ocha-chan!"

Ochaco soothed me, "Of course I will, Kiyo-chan." She placed a consoling hand on my back and rubbed up and down. "Are you sure you want me, though?"

I squeezed her tightly, tears in my eyes. "Holy smokes _yes_. We're going to hide like nobody's business."

Then I looked for Shōto or Izuku, because both were powerhouses and people I could trust. I found Izuku first, because he was actually heading towards me. He gave me a lopsided grin. "Hey Kiyo-chan—"

"Be on my team," I begged/demanded.

He beamed. "Yes, please, thanks! Do you already have a plan?"

"Mm-hmm. I grabbed Ocha-chan as fast as I could," I explained to him. "I need a long distance attacker now, so Sho-chan should do."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Sho-chan!" I cried out, dragging Izuku and Ochaco towards him. Shōto turned away from talking with Momo. Shōto's shoulders stiffened minutely before he relaxed and gave me a small nod. "Be on my team, pretty please?"

Shōto looked at Izuku and Ochaco beside me before he looked back at me. "No."

Practically all our nearby classmates gasped in surprise at that. My eyes widened and I couldn't help but feel a teeny tiny (big, huge) sting of rejection. I tried to keep it from showing on my face, but I wasn't certain I was entirely successful. I put on a wide smile on my face like I would for customers and asked, "How come?"

"I don't want to be on your team," Shōto responded curtly.

Again I felt that _little_ sting.

Izuku asked for me, "Why not? I thought _you_ of all people would want to help Kiyo-chan."

Shōto's lips thinned. "She doesn't need my help."

"But she's your friend, even if she doesn't _need_ ," Izuku stressed the word, "your help, she _wants_ it."

"I've already formed my own team," Shōto said.

Momo hesitantly added, "If you want to join Kiyo-chan's team, we would understand, Todoroki-kun."

"I'm fine," he said flatly. "You should hurry and find your last member, Kiyomi."

 _Kiyomi? Not Kiyo?_

Okay that little sting was starting to maybe possibly grow a _bit_ bigger. I didn't entirely understand why Shōto called me _Kiyomi_ instead of _Kiyo_ , though. I could understand him wanting to be on a different team; we couldn't possibly do everything together and it _was_ a competition. It was logical he would want to try something on his own, and even if that made me slightly sad, I could respect that choice.

Calling me Kiyomi, however, seemed unwarranted. I couldn't think of doing anything to make Shōto upset with me—and he only called me Kiyomi, or worse Kiyomi-san, when he was annoyed or upset with me—so it made no sense for him to do so then.

Feeling a surprising amount of hurt and confusion, I responded, "Okay. Good luck, Sho-chan."

Shōto nodded. "You, too, Kiyomi-san."

I couldn't resist cringing at that form of address and once more our surrounding classmates gasped. Izuku immediately placed a consoling arm around my shoulders while Ochaco gave Shōto the most hateful glare I had ever seen from the girl. The three of us headed away from Shōto's group, and I took that minute to recollect myself.

Then there was a blur of pink and my hands were taken in by a girl with bubblegum pink hair and a gleam in her eyes. "There you are! You want me on your team, trust me. I'm Hatsume Mei."

"Okay, welcome to the team," I responded, not really caring what her Quirk was. I really only _needed_ Ochaco for a solid victory, and everyone else would be for offense. After being rejected by my dearest friend, though, I wasn't in an offensive mood anymore. "Here's the plan: there's no need to go on the offense, and no need to let anyone else know about you guy's Quirks more than what you already showed. There's going to be another round, and we're all going to make it there, so let's save our strength for that."

Ochaco asked, "What's the plan?"

I formed a flat pink disc on the ground. "I'll be the one on top, all of you guys stand on top of this. I'll lift us up into the sky and we'll stay out of reach for the entire round. Ochaco, I'm going to need you to make us weightless as often as you can. I'll form another disc above us so we don't float off. Izu-chan, and, ah, Mei-chan, you two are in charge of batting away anyone who gets too close. I know for a fact Bocchan is probably going to launch himself into the air. If he does that, Izu-chan you are welcome to body-tackle into him and knock him back down to the ground."

"Oh, boy. He'll love that," Izuku muttered.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When the timer began I lifted our team high above the others, frowning at the fact I would have to use two flattened bubbles to hold the weight without Ochaco. It meant I would be without any sort of offense or defense during the time I used my third bubble to keep us from floating into space.

Still, I knew many of our classmates wouldn't be able to reach us, and the ones that did would be awfully showy about it. I didn't even have to keep us in one place in the air, and I idly maneuvered my bubbles to keep us in a sporadic and random path that the others couldn't predict.

' _I'll probably end up using all of my charge today,_ ' I thought. ' _I won't be able to teleport anywhere tomorrow or the day after in order to recharge. Damn, I have work tomorrow. I'll need someone to give me a ride if I go back home tonight._ '

I racked my brain for anyone in town who I knew had a car that would be able to make the incredibly long drive to the city of the café. It would be a four hour drive, at least, and I didn't think anyone in town had a vehicle that would make it. I _really_ didn't want to miss work, though.

"So," Ochaco began, "this is surprisingly relaxing."

"It's a lovely day outside," I agreed. "Hey, Ocha-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Mind if I crash at your place tonight?" I asked her. "I'll probably use up all of my wand's energy today and I don't want to miss work tomorrow."

"Ooh," Ochaco responded in realization. "That's right, you live out in the country. Of course you can stay with me! My parents will be there, too, so it might be a bit crowded."

"Oh, dang, I don't want to interrupt family time," I said. Ochaco lived by herself in an apartment near the school. She lived a couple towns away from the city, and it was decided that it would be cheaper (and easier) to get an apartment rather than pay for the expensive transportation it would take to get to school on time every day. I planned on offering to be Ochaco's personal transportation when my wand got used to her and allowed me to teleport her wherever, but that was still several months away, I feared.

I knew Ochaco missed her parents, though—she visited them every chance she got, and talked to them on the phone every night. I definitely didn't want to take away any of her precious family time.

"No, it's fine," Ochaco insisted, but my mind was made up.

"You can stay with me," Izuku offered politely.

"But didn't you say that you promised to spend time with Inko-chan tonight?" I retorted. "I'll ask Bocchan."

"Who's Bocchan?" Mei asked, tilting her head up to look at me.

I pointed towards Katsuki shouting curses on the ground. "That's Bocchan. His real name is Katsuki, but he acts like a spoiled brat so I call him Bocchan."

Ochaco giggled. "Bocchan is actually very nice, though. He likes cake."

The two of us shared knowing smiles. Ochaco had plenty of chances to see Katsuki's more civil side since she started working at the café with me. Katsuki would never throw curses around there since Sayako, our manager, would throw him out on his ear in a heartbeat. Katsuki seemed reluctant for that outcome, as he enjoyed the free treats and having me look over his homework. Despite his temper Katsuki was a studious student and honestly did his best to learn the written material as much as the practical.

It was a little chaotic below us, and I felt Ochaco use her Quirk on us. My wand gave a sigh of relief—I actually felt like I heard it sigh with relief inside of my head—so I took a moment to have us float around a bit faster.

"Are you and Todoroki-kun having an argument?" Ochaco asked me, then blushed. "You don't have to answer that, but if you want to talk about it—"

"I honestly don't know," I confessed. "He's been quiet all day, but I don't remember doing anything to upset him."

"It's unlike Todoroki-kun to be upset over nothing, though," Izuku said evenly.

Mei blinked. "Todoroki? The one with the ice Quirk?"

"He's a childhood friend of mine," I explained to her. "He's very dear to me, you see."

"And he likes her," Ochaco added.

"He does not," I immediately disagreed. "Not in _that_ way, at least."

Izuku and Ochaco exchanged exasperated looks.

"Let me guess: he's being a bit of a jerk," Mei surmised.

Ochaco nodded. "He called her _Kiyomi-san_! No one calls Kiyo-chan Kiyomi, not even our teacher. Not even Bocchan!"

Mei cocked her head. "Is he the jealous type, maybe?"

"No—"

" _Yes_ ," Izuku said firmly. "Well, _sort of_."

"What?" I asked, blinking in surprise. "When has he _ever_ —?"

"You don't remember him throwing Mineta-kun off you every time he tried to hug you?" Izuku asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not being jealous, that's watching out for a friend," I dismissed.

"That's being _in love_ ," Ochaco cooed in a sing-song voice.

"Sho-chan is _not_ in love with me," I insisted.

Mei's eyes gleamed. "But you won't deny that you're in love with him?"

My cheeks warmed. "That doesn't matter. What I feel isn't important—"

" _I knew it_!" Ochaco crowed. "I knew you liked him. Why don't you ask him out?"

"Because _he_ doesn't like _me_ ," I snapped. "I'm—look, Sho-chan has a lot going on in his life. I'm never going to be the person that intentionally causes drama, or adds any stress in his life. If I were to tell him that I liked him in a non-friendship way, and he didn't feel the same, how do you think that would make him feel?"

"But he _does_ feel the same," Izuku retorted. "It's obvious to everyone but you."

"You don't know him like I do," I disagreed. "We're close, definitely, and he trusts me. From an outside perspective it probably does look like we're together, but that's simply not the case."

"But—"

"I hug you, and Ocha-chan, and Bocchan, and all my other friends as much," I told Izuku. "I've had customers at the café think that _you_ were my boyfriend, or Bocchan, simply because of how friendly I am with you two. Of course that's not true in the slightest, but from an outside perspective I can see how they would think that."

Izuku's cheeks flushed the moment I mentioned the word boyfriend, and he fell silent. Ochaco let out a small sigh. "I'll admit that we aren't you two, and we can't read Todoroki-kun's mind, but I still think he feels the same way you do."

"Well unless I hear the words from _his_ mouth, I won't assume so," I retorted. "Besides, it's only a little crush. It'll go away with time, I'm sure."

Ochaco and Izuku exchanged exasperated looks, which I pretended to not notice.

I glanced down at Mei with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry for kind of dragging you into this drama. I'm sure you probably don't want to hear about this."

"It's actually very interesting," Mei told me, dismissing my apology. "And if there's anything I can do to help, I'd be happy to. Especially since you're guaranteeing us a spot in the next round!"

I reflexively smiled at her, enjoying her sincere response. "Thank you."

The four of us lapsed into silence as we watched the battles unfold below us. It came as no great surprise that no one was able to reach us. If Shōto had tried, I would have simply gone to opposite end of the arena. He couldn't cover the _entire_ thing in ice without seriously harming himself, so I felt confident he wouldn't do so. Katsuki had gotten side tracked with a couple other teams, it seemed, so he never had the chance to try for us.

Then the timer buzzed.

The second game was over.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Shōto has his reasons, so don't hate on the poor baby. :)_

 _Not gonna lie, wasn't planning on admitting Kiyomi's feelings for Shōto until much later, but this anime moves so dang fast! And arneewenn's fan art of the two together gets my shipping heart going._

 _I thought about completely changing the first round so Kiyomi wouldn't get such an easy first place, but then I thought you know what? Why not have fun with it?_

 _Nemuri and Nezu are crazy fun to write._

 _ **Answer:**_ _good food_

 _ **Question:**_ _What is your strength? Your "power up?"_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	8. Sports Festival

**Welcome back to this feel-good story / borderline wish fulfilment. I hope this chapter will take away a bit of your stress.**

 **Beta:** emplatinum

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

With a sigh I slid down into my seat beside Ochaco. "Oh man. What a start."

As soon as Present Mic announced it was time for an hour-long lunch break, I nearly collapsed with relief. Thankfully Ochaco slung an arm around my shoulders and began to guide me towards the cafeteria for some much needed food.

Ochaco rubbed my back. "There, there. It'll get better."

I gave her a withering look. "How many more games do you think they'll have?"

"Not sure. They're gonna do stuff for the people that didn't pass the first game though, so it'll give you a chance to rest."

"Oh, good," I sighed with relief. Then I tucked my wand back in my heart to give it a brief moment to recharge. "Still, I feel exhausted."

"Eat up, then. You'll need your strength," Ochaco told me.

"Yeah—hey, what happened to Izu-chan?" I asked, looking around. Izuku, Shōto, and Katsuki had disappeared shortly after they called for the lunch break.

"Not sure." Ochaco shrugged. "Oh, Momo-chan, come sit with us!"

Momo smiled immediately at Ochaco's offer and moved to set her lunch at our table. "I will, thanks. It's certainly crowded in here."

"No kidding," I said, then sighed again. "I really don't like crowds."

Resting my head on the table, I felt listless. My thoughts alternated between Shōto's odd demeanor, and the upcoming games. Ochaco rubbed my back again, but I didn't pay much attention to it.

' _Why is Sho-chan mad at me?_ '

"Kiyo-chan."

I reluctantly looked back up to find Denki and Mineta casually standing at our table.

"What," I muttered.

"Well I'm sure you already know, since you're the class rep," Mineta began, "but they said everyone has to wear those clothes to do a cheer battle in the afternoon."

I stared at him, then glanced over at the cheerleaders he pointed towards.

Momo frowned. "I didn't hear anything about an event like that though, did you, Kiyo-chan?"

"No, but Shishou wanted to keep a lot of things as a surprise for me. This might have been one of those things," I grumbled. "Shoot. Where are we supposed to get outfits like that?"

"Eh? You mean you didn't bring them? Uh oh," Denki commented.

"I can probably make them. Let me eat real quick and I'll get started," Momo offered.

"Thanks Momo-chan."

"Mn."

Then I put my face back onto the table and sighed. Ochaco made a _tsk_ 'ing sound and squeezed my nose. I reflexively gasped for air with my mouth and she took that moment to shove some spinach in it.

I munched on the food, closing my eyes and resisting the urge to sigh again.

"Ah, are you still upset about Todoroki-kun?" Momo inquired gently. I half-opened my eyes, peering up at her. Momo's brow was creased with concern, and a frown tugged down on her lips. Ochaco placed more spinach in my mouth before I could respond, though.

Then Kyōka sat beside Momo, placing a chocolate cupcake in front of me. "Here. Chocolate makes everything better."

I couldn't resist giving a small smile at that, and I lifted up my head and grabbed the cupcake. "Thanks Kyōka-chan; and to answer your question, Momo-chan: kind of. I'm definitely worried about him, but I'm also exhausted. I've really put a drain on my wand today."

Momo nodded her head sympathetically. "I can understand a bit of that. My Quirk always makes me ravenous."

Ochaco offered up more spinach to me and I took it from her chopsticks, munching on the raw vegetable. "Thanks, Ocha-chan… and thanks for your concerns, Momo-chan, Kyōka-chan."

Jiro rested her head in her hand, raising an eyebrow. "So no clue what's got your boyfriend's panties in a twist?"

"He's not my boyfriend," I corrected her.

"Yet," Ochaco added with a smirk.

"I'm not sure why he's upset," I answered Kyōka, ignoring Ochaco's smug look. "He was okay yesterday, so something probably happened last night, or early this morning. I'm sure once the festival is over we'll get our chance to talk. He may simply need some time; he's the kind of person that likes to think things over for himself before talking to me."

Jiro's lips pursed. "Still, he doesn't have to be rude."

Momo nodded in agreement. "He was certainly distant with our team. Normally he's polite, at least, but he seemed very on edge today."

"Mmm." I started to nibble on the chocolate cupcake.

The topic then transitioned to what was to be expected in the next game. I tuned out their cheerful banter, finding it hard to focus on. I ate whatever was put in front of me—Ochaco kept feeding me—and let my mind wander.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention back into reality.

Izuku stood beside me, his brow furrowed and looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Izu-chan?" I inquired, and he dropped his hand away.

"Kiyo-chan?" Izuku asked me quietly, grabbing my hand. "Can I talk to you?"

My eyebrows rose in surprise. "Huh? Sure, buddy. Ah—I'll be back later, girls."

"Bye-bye," Ochaco said, waving her hands. Momo and Kyōka mimicked her.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Izuku took me to a secluded hallway, double-checking to make sure we were alone before he finally let go of my hand.

Izuku breathed out a long sigh, his eyes downcast. Concerned for my friend, I placed a consoling hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Izu-chan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Izuku said quickly, looking back up at me. "I—I think I know what's bothering Todoroki-kun, though."

My eyes widened at that. "What? Did he talk to you?"

"S-Sort of." Izuku fidgeted again. "He wanted to ask me 'bout something else, but in the process he told me a bit about—about his parents."

I blinked, genuinely surprised.

Then something clicked at the back of my head.

" _Oh my gosh that dummy!_ " I hissed. My eyes narrowed in irritation as the pieces fell into place.

Who else would make Shōto close up faster than a part time cashier closing the store down at the end of shift?

With a growl I said, "I'll be right back, Izu-chan."

"Take your time," Izuku said weakly.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Shōto was sitting outside the arena, in the wooded area. His back was pressed against the concrete building, his hands folded neatly in his lap and his head was bowed.

He didn't notice me right away, and I squatted down to be at eye-level with him. Feeling thoroughly exasperated by the silliness of my dearest friend I poked his cheek. "You're a dummy."

Shōto blinked, then stiffened. "Kiyo—"

"Finish that with a _mi_ and I will kick your shins," I threatened. "Honestly, Sho-chan! What are you thinking? Who cares if your dad sees me being friendly with you?"

"That's—"

"I don't care about him. He's a scumbag that will get what's coming to him," I dismissed.

"I—"

"What I care about is when you let him get in the way of _our_ relationship." I poked his cheek again. "You silly person."

Shōto flushed. "You—"

"What did we promise?" I interrupted again. "What did we promise, Sho-chan?"

Shōto closed his mouth shut, as his cheeks slowly darkened into a cute reddish hue. His gaze lowered. Quietly he mumbled, "Always and always."

" _Always and always_." I nodded my head. "You think that jerk can stop us? You think he can prevent me from keeping my promise?"

"That's not it," Shōto whispered. "It's—I know you can stand up to him; but I don't want you to. I don't—I don't want you _anywhere_ near him. I don't even want him to look at you." His hands clenched into fists and he steadily continued to look down. "The very idea of you and him even being the same room—there's no way I could keep my composure. All these years, everyone kept you secret from him for me. My siblings cover for me when I'm with you, and the staff pretend to see nothing.

"But he still found out _someone_ was visiting. He knows someone's been with me all these years, but he doesn't know who. He—he wasn't even supposed to be watching the stupid festival; he never has before and he was planning on going to Korea but then—yesterday he said— _he said_ —"

Shōto's hands shook and a look of pure disgust and unrestrained resentment contorted his face. I reflexively grabbed his hands, and pulled them close to my chest. Gently, I uncurled his fists and placed one palm over my heart.

Softly, I whispered, "Shōto-kun, it's going to be okay."

Shōto's half-lidded eyes slowly looked up to meet my gaze.

"Feel my heart, and how steady it is right now," I said. "I'm not afraid if he finds me. All I care about is _you_. The whole reason I—Shōto-kun, I'm a hero because of _you_. I promised myself that I wouldn't let him hurt you again; that I would protect you. I can't do that if you push me away, though. And if you keep on pushing me away then this heartbeat won't be steady anymore. Got it?"

Shōto's eyes shone, conflicting emotions flickering across his face; each coming and going within seconds. He gripped both of my hands tightly and pulled me towards him, resting his forehead in the crook of my neck. I wrapped my arms around him, running my fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his arms tightening around me. "I don't want him anywhere near you, though."

"You can't keep us apart forever," I murmured. "He'll find out soon enough. I won't let him interfere with us, Sho-chan."

His long sigh tickled my neck. "I know. I'm sorry, I would have talked to you sooner, but he was with me constantly."

I kissed the top of his head. "As long as you keep your promise, then it's like water under the bridge."

"Always and always," he promised.

"Always and always," I agreed.

We stayed liked that for a while until I heard Shōto's stomach grumble and I laughed. I pulled back, smiling fondly at him. "Let's get you some lunch, okay? Besides, I gotta head back and change."

Shōto blinked rapidly. "Okay."

I moved to stand up, but Shōto's arms stiffened and prevented me. I looked down at him curiously, but he blushed and let me go. I stood up and offered my hand. He immediately took it, and I teleported both of us to the cafeteria. Our fingers naturally intertwined, per usual, and we waited patiently to get his food.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I brought Shōto over towards our table where Momo was hard at work making the cheerleading outfits for the girls in our class. Izuku was the only boy amongst them, neatly folding the outfits as Momo created them and chatting merrily with Ochaco.

Shōto slid into a seat across from them, drawing some attention towards him.

"Hello," he grunted, then started to eat.

Izuku and Ochaco both looked over at me and I gave them a thumbs up.

They grinned.

"Hello, Todoroki-kun," Momo greeted pleasantly. "I think I have enough made."

"Great. Thanks for doing that, Momo-chan."

"Please, don't worry about it. I'm always happy to help."

"Kyōka-chan went to go let the other girls know," Ochaco explained to me. "Ah, I guess once everyone is here we should change?"

"That would be best, that way I can see if I need to make any adjustments for the sizes," Momo said with a smile.

I nodded at that. "Okey dokey."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

There were a few issues with sizes, so it was a good thing that we had changed beforehand. It felt a little silly to be wearing a cheerleading uniform, but in a fun way. It wasn't the most outlandish thing I had worn: Sayako (cafe manager) had a roleplaying weekend every month. It was always a fun time, and my favorite one was when we cosplayed as magical girls (which was what largely inspired my hero outfit).

I led our team out onto the field, most of my nerves thoroughly shoved aside after I had talked with Shōto. It was still uncomfortable to be in front of so many people, but I felt a lot better than I did at the start of the games.

Hopefully Nemuri and Nezu wouldn't have anymore surprises for me. My heart could only take so much.

"—Oi, oi, what kind of fanservice is that, 1-A?"

Present Mic's incredulous question caused the girls in 1-A to freeze.

Denki and Mineta's gleeful snickers and nosebleeds immediately clued us in that dressing up as cheerleaders was _not_ a requirement for one of the events.

' _That's sneaky,_ ' I thought, honestly impressed by how brazen the idea was. Truly the duo had earned the titles of Perverts.

(Not a Super Pervert, though!)

A wave of nostalgia hit me at their antics, and I let out a giggle as Momo fell to her knees in exhaustion. "You tricked us? _Ugh,_ why am I always getting caught up in Mineta's schemes?"

I reached down and patted her shoulder. "Chin up, dear. This isn't so bad, we might as well have fun with it."

Ochaco beamed. "Yeah! Let's cheer on our classmates."

Then I felt something on my shoulders and I glanced behind me to find Shōto placing his sports jacket on me. I quirked my eyebrow at him. With a perfectly straight face he said, "It's inappropriate, and you might catch a cold."

I heard some giggles behind me and Shōto looked down and away. He mumbled, "Midoriya-kun agrees with me. Right?"

Izuku jumped at being pulled into the conversation. Shōto looked at Izuku and the two seemed to have some sort of silent conversation before Izuku blushed and said, "Y-Yeah."

Izuku pulled off his jacket and hesitantly gave it to Ochaco.

Ochaco took it after a few seconds of staring at it, staring intently at the two boys. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Mm-hmm."

"I see," was all I said, then shrugged. I slipped on Shōto's jacket and zipped it up. "Thank you, then."

"Don't mention it," he mumbled.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **A brief interlude with Nezu**

" _Uwa!_ No! My cute little student is already starting her high school romance!" Nezu mock-cried.

"Nezu-san, please..."

 **End of the interlude**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Present Mic smoothly transitioned us into the introduction of the third round. All of the students gathered before Nemuri as an empty bracket filled up the screen. Nemuri held up a box and said, "Now let's draw. Once the bracket is determined we'll have the recreational games and then start! The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreation. I'm sure some of you want to rest or save your strength. Now for the first time—"

"Um, excuse me?" Mashirao raised his hand. "I'm withdrawing."

Everyone around me immediately gasped at that and Izuku whirled around to face him. "Ojiro-kun, why?"

Tenya turned around to look at Mashirao in disbelief. "This is a rare chance for pros to see you."

Mashirao's face twisted into a bitter expression. "I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until almost the end. I think it was that guy's Quirk. I know that this is a great chance and that it's foolish to waste it. But everyone here competed by giving their all. I can't—I can't be up there with everyone without knowing what really happened."

Toru waved her pom poms up and down. "You're worrying about it too much. You should just make sure you produce results in the finals."

"If you're gonna say that, I didn't do anything either," Mina added quietly.

At their words Mashirao trembled and placed a hand over his face. His voice cracked as he whispered, "That's not it. I'm talking about my pride here. I can't—Also why are you guys wearing cheerleader outfits?"

"I'm Niregenki Shoda from Class B," said a boy approaching Nemuri. "I also want to withdraw for the same reason. Regardless of ability, don't you think it goes against the goal of this sports festival for those who didn't do anything to move onto the final round?"

"What's with these guys?" Eijirō exclaimed, tears in his eyes. "They're so manly!"

Nemuri's cool eyes regarded everyone. "Youthful talk like that is something… _I like_. Shoda! Ojiro! I accept your withdrawal. In that case we'll have to move up two people from the fifth place cavalry battle team."

"If that's what's going to happen," said a girl with red hair from Class 1-B, "then rather than us, who barely did anything during the cavalry battle, it should be them, right? The ones who fought to the end and stayed in the top, Team Tetsutetsu."

"Huh," was all I said as I exchanged glances with Ochaco and Izuku. "You two are okay to continue, right?"

"While I admit you definitely carried, I can't afford to drop out," Izuku admitted.

"Thanks for the carry," Ochaco said, patting my back.

I gave them a thumbs up. "What are friends for? I don't really get why they're upset about it, to be honest. It was a _team_ round, of course some people are better suited for that than others."

They both nodded in agreement at that.

"And so, Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki have moved up to make sixteen! This is the bracket based on the results of the drawing."

 **ROUND ONE - Shinso VS Midoriya**

 **ROUND TWO - Todoroki VS Sero**

 **ROUND THREE - Hatsume VS Iida**

 **ROUND FOUR - Fumikage VS Shiozaki**

 **ROUND FIVE - Marin VS Yaoyorozu**

 **ROUND SIX - Ashido VS Aoyama**

 **ROUND SEVEN - Tetsutetsu VS Kirishima**

 **ROUND EIGHT - Uraraka VS Bakugō**

I looked over at the board. ' _So I'll be facing Momo-chan first, then—hmm—probably Mina. Ah, should be fun._ '

"Yosh!" Present Mic exclaimed. "Let's leave the tournament aside for a momentary interlude." Fireworks started going off above the colosseum. "Let's have some fun with recreation!"

I stretched my arms up in the air. ' _Ah. I guess I should change out of the cheerleader outfit so I can give back Sho-chan's jacket_.'

Once that was done I handed Shōto back his jacket and took a seat beside him as we watched everyone scurry about the recreational games. He looked surprisingly relaxed, with his hands folded in front of his lap. Ochaco joined us shortly, sitting on my other side. She had changed back into her regular sport uniform.

I grabbed one of Ochaco's hands, and one of Shōto's. I placed each in my lap, holding onto them. Ochaco let out a small sigh and leaned over to place her head on my shoulder. "Bocchan's going to be nasty, isn't he?"

"He's fun to fight," I told her. "I'm a little jealous I don't get to fight him right away."

"He looks like he's a hassle to fight," Shōto muttered.

"He's sporadic, which makes it fun. I really hope you win against him Ocha-chan, 'cause I don't want to have to face him with a nearly depleted wand. That'll be… unfortunate."

Ochaco snorted. " _You'd_ probably still win."

' _Only way I win in spars is when I start at full capacity, or we both agree not to use our Quirks,'_ I thought. ' _I'm at… 39% power. Odds are definitely not in my favor._ '

It wouldn't really matter so much against anyone else, except maybe Izuku. Katsuki's Quirk was simply too dangerous to go against without full power. I knew firsthand how much his stupid explosions hurt when face-tanked, and if I couldn't generate my bubble-shields… Urk. I'd be covered in enough burns to make tomorrow a living hell.

Either way, not fun without full power.

' _But that makes it all the more…_ '

(eXcItInG)

"You can win," I told her confidently. "You're smart. You'll come up with something."

"Your faith in me is appreciated," Ochaco said.

I gave her hand a squeeze.

The three of us enjoyed our brief moment of peace before it was time to start the tournament.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Izuku's match was the first one, with Shōto's immediately afterwards. So Ochaco and I moved up towards our reserved spot in the stands (where all of Class 1-A would watch) hand in hand. She seemed a little nervous, so I did my best to comfort her.

I sat beside Katsuki, with Ochaco on my other side. I nudged Katsuki. "Excited, buddy?"

Katsuki's lips turned up into a smirk. "You better make it to the final rounds, Bubblegum. I still owe you an ass kicking."

"Worry 'bout yourself, silly," I told him. "Ocha-chan could kick your booty."

Katsuki leaned around me to raise an eyebrow at Ochaco. "Angel-face maid?"

Ochaco waved. "Hi, Bocchan."

He glared at her, then turned to glower at me. "You got her calling me that, too?"

"All the maids call you that, Bocchan, and since she's a maid now—"

" _Tt_."

"AUDIENCE!" Present Mic boomed. "The finals that you've all been waiting for are finally starting! Match number one: Even though he's done so well, what's with that face? From the hero course, it's Izuku Midoriya! Versus—Sorry he hasn't done anything to stand out yet. From general studies, it's Hitoshi Shinso!"

Izuku and that purple-haired student both walked out towards the arena that had been created in the center of the field.

"The rules are simple," Present Mic continued. "Force your opponent out of bounds, or immobilize them. You can also win by making your opponent say: I give up. Bring on the injuries. Because we've got our very own Recovery Girl waiting on standby. Put your morals and ethics aside for a moment. But of course, anything life-threatening is crap. It's not allowed! Heroes should only use their fists to catch villains."

The crowd roared its approval.

"Ready?! START!"

As soon as Present Mic said _start_ Shinso must have said something because Izuku started rushing towards him.

But then three steps in and he froze.

"Oi, oi, what's the matter?" Present Mic asked. "It's the important first match. Liven things up. Midoriya, the match has just started and he's completely frozen?"

(Ah)

Izuku then turned around and started walking slowly towards the edge of the arena.

Present Mic's voice was tinged in disbelief. "AH? Midoriya is being so obedient."

"Mind-control?" I murmured out loud, drawing gasps of disbelief from our classmates.

"I think so," Mashirao said, looking over at me. "The truth is I was on the team with that Shinso guy, and I don't remember anything after I talked to him."

Before Izuku could take a final step out of the arena there was a massive burst of air pressure. When it died down, Izuku was bending over, panting.

"This is—Midoriya's stopped!"

The crowd cheered. Shinso seemed to be saying something to Izuku, but I couldn't read his lips from so far away, or hear him over the crowd. Izuku covered his mouth, and turned to face him. Shinso kept talking, and Izuku started to run towards him. Izuku tackled into Shinso before grappling him and literally throwing him out of bounds.

Nemuri raised her whip. "Shinso is out of bounds. Midoriya advances to round two!"

"Yahoo!" Present Mic cheered as the crowd erupted. "That was kind of a boring first round, but we should praise them both for a bravely fought match. Clap your hands!"

We all clapped, and the colosseum swelled with the noise.

Ochaco nudged me. "Your boyfriend is next."

I gave her a deadpan expression.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **A brief interlude with Shōto**

Shōto moved down the halls, heading to his first match. His head was clearer, and his heart lighter than at the start of the festival. He only wished he had talked to Kiyomi sooner about the whole thing, instead of trying to push her away.

She was right, of course.

His father wouldn't stop him from seeing her, and vice versa.

Shōto always knew there would be a day the two would officially meet, and he dreaded that day with every fiber of his being.

Kiyomi was strong, Shōto truly believed. She could—and would—stand up to his father without a second thought.

But a part of Shōto (a part so deeply ingrained from childhood that no amount of words, or time, would completely erase it) was terrified of that. He was genuinely afraid of what his father would do to Kiyomi for the sake of his monstrous goals.

His father bought his mother.

Would he buy her, too?

Would he send her away?

Would he break her?

The questions had circled in the back of Shōto's head for years. He always did his best to ignore them, to shove them aside.

He was afraid that if Kiyomi and his father met, that he would find out those answers.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't risk it.

He could _not_ let his father _anywhere_ near Kiyomi.

He _should_ have sent her away all those years ago. As soon he fully understood the atrocious monster his father was, he should have sent her packing. He should have cut off his ties with her, distanced himself from her, and denied meeting with her.

He should have.

Shōto couldn't, though, because he was greedy. She was only person in his life that didn't cry when she saw his face; didn't avert her eyes; didn't fail to meet his gaze; didn't look at him like some kind of tool or toy to be used.

Kiyomi was the only one in the world that saw Shōto for Shōto, and he simply couldn't bring himself to be selfless enough to send her away.

He was greedy for her attentions and affections. Starved for it in his own home, she was the highlight of his days and nights. She was the reason he was able to smile after the beatdowns, threats, and manipulations.

She was the reason he wanted to be a hero.

And he didn't want her anywhere near Endeavour.

Yet it seemed like that would never happen.

That monster would find her one way or another. At least here—at least now—Shōto could be prepared for it. Kiyomi could be prepared for it.

She wouldn't leave him, he was sure (hoped).

Shōto rounded the corner, stopping when he realized Endeavour was waiting for him.

Anger and disgust immediately flared in the pit of his stomach when he saw his father. Schooling his features to show only the barest hint of dislike Shōto said quietly, firmly, "You're in my way."

Endeavour folded his arms over his chest. "You're acting disgracefully, Shōto."

Shōto started walking.

"If you used the power in your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in the obstacle course and the cavalry battle."

Disdain began to boil inside of Shōto, and he fought to keep from snarling out a response.

"Stop this childish rebellion already. You have a duty to surpass All Might. Do you understand?"

Shōto's hands clenched tightly into fists and he kept walking.

"You're different from your siblings. You are the greatest masterpiece!"

With a quiet growl, Shōto bit out without turning back, "Is that all you can say, bastard? I will win and advance with only Mother's power. I won't use your power when I fight."

"Even to defend that Magi user?"

Rage burned through Shōto's veins, his footsteps becoming heavier and he struggled not to turn around. He would not give his father that satisfaction.

"You'll have to bring her home, introduce her to the family. Or I'll invite her myself."

He almost turned around at that, almost started a fight he probably couldn't win.

' _Always and always_.'

Always and always.

But he didn't turn around, even as he seethed with anger, and felt the sickening feeling of hatred coil around his heart.

' _Always and always_.'

His father wouldn't get in the way of that.

Shōto kept walking.

 **End of interlude.**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat beside Katsuki, leaning forward in my seat as I waited for Shōto's match to start. Izuku sat on the other side of me, with Ochaco next to him (she had gotten up and offered her seat when he came back).

"Gonna cheer extra loud for your boyfriend?" Ochaco asked me, wiggling her eyebrows.

"He's _not_ —" I sighed. "Yes. I'm going to cheer extra loud for my future husband."

Ochaco squealed and Katsuki snapped, "Stop that squeaking! You sound like a damn mouse."

"Don't be a spoilsport, Bocchan," I chided.

Katsuki huffed. "Don't look so smug, Bubblegum. You're _not_ going to win this."

"Please. I'm gonna kick your ass."

"Thaaaaaaanks for waiting!" Present Mic boomed, drawing everyone's attention to the arena floor. It was a little hard to see Shōto from our high-up seats, but I did my best. He looked pretty uncomfortable, but that could have been because he was literally the center of attention at the moment. Shōto had never been a big fan of public speaking.

Present Mic's voice rolled over the intercoms as he introduced Hanta. "He's good! He's good, but what's with that plainess he just can't get rid of? From the hero course, it's Hanta Sero."

Sero was stretching out, while Shōto remained stiff as a board.

"Versus! Taking third then second in the prelims; you're way too strong kid! Also from the hero course, it's Shōto Todoroki!"

The crowd cheered and I clapped my hands.

"And now, for the second match of the finals—Ready—Start!"

The sound went off and Hanta shot out his tape, wrapping it around Shōto within seconds. He then pulled hard and began to swing Shōto towards the edge of the arena.

"A surprise attack aimed to push his opponent out of bounds. Don't you think that was the best choice for this situation? Seriously, get him, Sero!"

And then a _massive_ ice glacier erupted from Shōto's footing, covering _half of the entire colosseum_. The ice actually was barely half a meter away from our seats, and I had to throw myself back to not get caught in it since I was originally leaning forwards to watch Shōto's match.

I couldn't see the match since the ice covered it, but I heard Nemuri's shivering voice ask, "Sero-kun, can you move?" A pause. "Sero-kun is unable to move. Todoroki-kun advances to the second round."

Silence fell around the arena for a handful of seconds before the crowd started to shout down to Sero: "Don't worry about it!"

"Is your boyfriend on his period?" Katsuki asked me, perfectly serious.

"It's—it's been a tough day for him," I said, apologizing on his behalf for some reason.

"P-Poor Sero-kun," Ochaco stammered out.

"I, uh, I guess I should go talk to him again," I said quietly, wiggling my way out of the ice. "I'll, uh, see you guys later. Root for Tenya-kun and Fumikage-kun for me."

"R-Right."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I found Shōto in the infirmary, wrapped up in a heating blanket and drinking some hot tea. I sat down on his bed, lifted up his blanket, and scooted into his side. He shivered and took another drink from his tea, not meeting my gaze.

We stayed beside each other for a few minutes until Shōto broke the silence. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper."

"It's okay. Wanna talk about it?"

"Not right now."

"Okay."

Shōto drank some more tea. "Can I stay at your place this weekend?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

He closed his eyes, let out a sigh, and leaned on my shoulder. "Ever wanted to run away to another country and assume a different identity?"

"Sure," I said, not missing a beat. "My cover story would be that I'm the runaway bride from a time traveling pirate. I drugged him and his gang before he could force the marriage, and then I ran away with one of my many lovers. We started up a nice harem after escaping, but we all had to part separate ways to fulfil our dreams. My dream is, of course, to be the world's greatest patissiere. So I'll go to France."

He snorted into his tea. "Do you have a cover story for me?"

"You're the runaway wanna-be-bad-boy-but-secretly-a-sweetie I meet at France. We fall madly in love and you help set up my shop. Your dream is to be the world's greatest waiter, so it works out well for us. We get married while skydiving by the Eiffel Tower. It's a beautiful ceremony. Izu-chan is our adopted child, by the way."

"Of course."

"Bocchan is the crazy uncle that keeps escaping jail."

"Makes sense."

"Ocha-chan should be the lost princess of some Narnia-like land."

"Sure."

We fall quiet again. Then I asked him, "Do'ya wanna hug?"

"Yeah."

He set his tea down and I hugged him as tight as I could. I promised him, "Always and always."

"Always and always," he returned.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Then it was time for my match against Momo (Tenya won against Mei, and Fumikage won against that 1-B girl). I headed out with a skip in my step and a song in my heart. Shōto seemed much happier when I left him, if still perplexed. But I was sure that after the tournament passed by and his father left, things would return to normal.

"And now for the fifth match! She's as dangerous as she is cute, the magical girl with the brightest smile. From the hero course: Kiyomi Marin!"

The crowd cheered, and my stomach flip-flopped as I gave them my waitress-grin.

"Versus! All-purpose Creation. She was admitted through recommendations, so her abilities are certified. From the hero course, it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"

Again the crowd cheered, and Momo shifted uncomfortably.

"Fifth match, start!"

Momo appeared startled by that, but I had already teleported straight to her, doing a roundhouse kick. She raised her arms to defend, blocking my kick but the force was enough to make her stumble back.

I dropped low and swept in her legs and she fell back. I was on her in the next second using a hard chop to her diaphragm and rendering her unconscious.

(Ah, what a sweet little child)

(The old fight—)

(So the young can stay innocent)

Nemuri cocked her head, a smile on her face. "Yaoyorozu is unable to continue. Kiyo-chan is the winner."

"Ahh! What an overwhelming victory!" Present Mic boomed. "Not many can go toe-to-toe with our little soldier, though!"

(Soldier)

(General)

(K I N G)

( **murderer** )

I bowed politely before taking my leave, rejoining my friends and classmates in the stands.

Mina's match against Aoyama was brief, barely lasting three minutes. Eijirō's match, on the other hand, went on for nearly half an hour before resulting in a draw. Ochaco excused herself during Eijirō's match in order to prepare herself against Katsuki. She still struck me as a nervous girl, but there was a glint of determination in her eyes.

I sat beside Shōto as Ochaco and Katsuki's fight was about to begin. Izuku sat on my other side, and Tenya beside him.

"This should be a fun fight," I commented on. "I hope Ocha-chan has fun."

"Not everyone enjoys picking a fight with Kacchan, Kiyo-chan," Izuku told me.

"Why not? He makes hilarious faces."

Shōto gently patted my knee. "I'm sure you think so."

I shrugged.

Present Mic shouted for the match to start, and boy what a match it was.

Ochaco's strategy was impressive, certainly. She did her best to engage in close combat with Katsuki, and every time he launched an explosive attack against her she used the smoke to hide the fact that she used her Quirk on the debris. Slowly, subtly, and slyly, she had built a surprise for Katsuki.

Unfortunately for her, Katsuki was able to blast away all the debris she had sent falling to him. Additionally, the blast was significant enough to knock Ochaco down one final time.

It was a good fight, but it wasn't enough.

I thought about going to her after the fight, but Izuku and Tenya already were (Shōto also left since his match was next after Eijirō's rematch). Another person might make it come across as a pity party.

I'd still check on her later tonight, after the tournament was over and the immediate sting of loss wasn't so tender.

She did well. She should be proud of herself for making it so far.

Katsuki rejoined us in the stands shortly afterwards, resuming his seat with a huff.

"Good job," I congratulated him. "Ocha-chan's pretty tough, huh?"

"She sure as shit isn't fragile," he spat out.

"You played an impressive villain," Tsuyu teased him.

"Shut up," Katsuki snapped.

I elbowed him. "Shall I invite her to our next spar?"

"Do what you want."

"Aw! My little bocchan is finally okay with making friends!"

"Fucking die!"

I giggled as Eijirō's rematch with Tetsutetsu started. They ended up having an arm wrestling match that ultimately ended in Eijirō's favor.

Then it was time for Izuku and Shōto's match.

Ochaco rejoined us shortly afterwards, taking the free seat next to me. I reached towards her, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into me. She curled into my hug, resting her head on my chest and letting out a long sigh. I patted her back. "You did beautifully, princess. Bocchan, praise her."

"No."

"That means he's very impressed with you," I translated for her.

" _No_ it means _shut the fuck up before I break your jaw_."

"And _that_ means shut up you're embarrassing me," I continued, ignoring the seething look of pure hatred Katsuki was giving me. Ochaco trembled slightly as she tried to repress her laughter. I glanced over my shoulder at Katsuki and winked. "Our bocchan is a little _tsundere-chan_."

' _Oh if looks could kill!_ '

Katsuki leaned towards me, pressing his forehead against mine. He whispered, " _I'm going to kill you. Slowly_."

"I love you too, dear."

His scream of frustration was an absolute delight, especially since it made Ochaco giggle cutely.

The crowd screamed as Shōto and Izuku came into view. Present Mic began his introduction. "Everybody ready? The first round of the second part is a big one. The man who won a huge victory in the first round and literally left the audience frozen: from the hero course, it's Shōto Todoroki. On the other hand, this guy barely made it past the first round! What kind of fight will he show us this time? From the hero course, it's Izuku Midoriya!"

There was a brief moment of pause as Present Mic allowed the tension to build up.

"START!"

Shōto immediately opened up with an impressive wall of ice hurtling towards Izuku. I couldn't see what Izuku was doing, but before the ice reached him a massive gust of air pressure destroyed it. The force was significant enough that Shōto had to form a wall of ice behind him to keep him grounded, whereas the rest of us got a taste of freezing wind.

"Wow! Midoriya stopped Todoroki's attack!"

This repeated itself three more times.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **A brief interlude with Shōto**

"You're trembling, Todoroki-kun."

Shōto stiffened, his eyes narrowing.

Izuku, with one hand thoroughly bruised, raised it shakily. "Quirks are physical abilities, too. There's a limit to how much cold your body can take, isn't there? And isn't that something you could solve using the heat from your left side? Everyone's fighting with everything they've got. To win and get closer to their dream. To become number one. And you want to win with _just half your strength_? You haven't put a single scratch on me, you know? Come at me with everything you've got."

' _Everything?_ ' Shōto repeated to himself, his previous conversation with that wretched man replying in his head. _Everything?!_ Anger and disgust churned inside of him. " _Everything_? Did my damn old man buy you off, or something?"

"Don't be stupid," Izuku snapped. "Why—Why do you even want to be a hero, Todoroki-kun? If you're only going to be listless about it! Heroes _always_ give it their all. They always save the day. You really want to be a hero with that attitude? Y-You don't _deserve_ to be a hero like that." Izuku's hands clenched into a fist, and a brief flicker of _something_ crossed his face. Like he had a brilliant, but mad idea. "She gives it her all. What makes you think _you_ deserve to be beside her when you won't do the same?"

Pure anger surged inside of Shōto, enough so that it left him completely frozen. His face twisted into something dark and venomous. " _You…!"_

"Why do you want to be a hero?" Izuku asked him again, green eyes glaring defiantly at him. "Why do you think you have any right to that honor when you're like this? If you keep going on so half-assed, then she'll pass you up in no time. You won't ever be a hero. You won't ever stay by her side. You're going to break your promise!"

"Shut _up_!"

"Answer me, Todoroki-kun! Answer me, or come at me with everything you have."

Shōto dug his nails so deeply into his palms that he drew blood. His fists trembled with anger so severe, he was almost blinded. He glared hatefully at Izuku, loathing the fact that his words were having such an effect on him.

' _Why do I want to be a hero?_ ' Shōto asked himself. The answer hadn't changed in the past five years. At first it was because he wanted to be like All Might. He wanted to be someone others could rely on, and turn to. He wanted to save the day. He wanted to be a hero.

As the years went by and he dealt with his father's cruel methods, he lost that drive. He went through the motions of training to be a hero simply because he felt like he had no other option. Eventually it turned into a drive to surpass his father; to prove the man had no hold over him.

Then he found his best friend crying in his bed one night.

And he decided he wanted to be a hero to make sure that didn't happen again.

He didn't want any of his precious people to be hurt. Not by him. Not by his father. Not by _anyone_. He wanted to protect them, and keep them safe. He wanted to become someone they could turn to, and trust.

He wanted to be their hero.

' _A half-assed hero, though?_ '

Izuku had a horrible, terrible, awful point.

A half-assed hero?

That would never happen in the real world.

A half-assed hero wasn't the type of person others could rely on. He was the scum that skirted by.

He was the scum that couldn't protect his friends.

"Half-ass?" Shōto muttered quietly, unable to contain his anger.

"Are you going to be a hero, or not?" Izuku asked him. "Are you going to keep hiding behind half of your power, _or are you going to come at me with all you have_?"

"I'm," Shōto whispered, his voice quivering, "going to be a hero."

"Prove it," Izuku demanded. "Prove that you deserve to be here!"

Flames erupted around Shōto, melting the ice and effectively getting rid of his side effects to using his Ice Quirk, he noticed Izuku's grin. Shōto let out a humorless chuckle. "Why are you smiling? In a situation like this… I won't hold back. You've really pissed me off today."

Izuku's grin stretched wider. "As your friend, it's my job to knock some sense into your head when you're being stupid."

"Friend?"

"Of course."

Shōto's anger quelled for a moment at that, a wry smile on his face. " _Heh_. Then, don't blame me for what happens next."

Shōto dropped down, summoning up ice and fire as Izuku launched himself towards him. The ice covered the arena within seconds, and then the fire erupted as walls of cement rose up between the two students as the proctors tried to desperately stop them from killing themselves.

The resulting blast of everything colliding shook the whole colosseum.

And when the smoke and steam cleared, Shōto was the winner.

 **End of the interlude**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I watched the battle with growing concern for both of my friends. When Izuku started to get carted away on a stretcher, I was half-tempted to follow; but I knew Recovery Girl would only shoo me out. So I visited Shōto first, teleporting to the entrance of the tunnel and anxiously waiting.

I thought I heard footsteps behind me, so I turned around, but no one was at the end of the hallway.

Shōto came into the tunnel, looking surprised to see me. "Kiyo-chan."

"Sho-chan," I greeted, moving towards him. "Are you—are you okay? You used your other half."

"Y-Yeah," Shōto muttered quietly, looking down at his left hand. "I did, didn't I?"

A smile pulled my lips upwards and I reached towards him, gently taking his hand. "I'm very proud of you."

Shōto looked up at me sharply, his eyes widening. "What?"

"I know what this means to you. I know it's probably confusing, and scary, and uncomfortable— _but_ —but I'm very happy for you." I squeezed his hand. "Sho-chan, you know I love every bit of ya, so seeing you ignore half of yourself for so long… but now you're starting to accept it. I'm really happy for you, and so proud."

Shōto shifted his weight, taking both of my hands and steadily looking down at them. A small smile graced his face and he mumbled, "It'll take some time, I think. I'm not—I'm not yet comfortable with it."

"I'll be with you every step of the way," I reassured him.

"Yeah, I know."

"Let's get you another jacket, then." I tugged on his hands. "While I admire the bare-chest look, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

He blushed. "R-Right."

I squeezed his hands, and he squeezed back.

"Kiyo-chan?"

"Mn?"

"I'm going to keep our promise."

"Mn. You better."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next match was Tenya against Fumikage, but since I was immediately after them I chose to sit in the waiting room to prepare myself. I mostly wanted to get in a few stretches, since after this match I'd probably be facing Katsuki.

Boy was that gonna be fun.

Unluckily for me Tenya and Fumikage's match was a little too short. Before I knew it it was my turn against Mina.

She had a bit more natural talent in combat than Momo, so she lasted a minute longer. But she was still a child; barely trained. With a quick teleportation behind her and a solid kick to her pelvis she was in serious pain. I deflected each of her acidic attacks with my bubbles—though they ate through them quickly—before delivering a decisive blow to her diaphragm and rendering her unconscious.

I returned to the stands after, taking a seat beside Shōto and Ochaco.

"Izu-chan still with Recovery Girl?" I asked, and Ochaco nodded glumly. "Don't worry, Ocha-chan. I've put him through _much_ worse on our adventures."

She looked at me in horror, but I just smiled at the fond memories of a petrified Izuku screaming in terror as we free-fell into some kind of dangerous situation.

Katsuki's fight with Kirishima was impressive at the start, but the little ball of fury turned it around soon enough.

I had faith Shōto would win his match against Tenya, so I decided to use that time to get in a few more stretches, and mentally prepare myself for getting thoroughly covered in burns.

When I passed Katsuki on the way to the preparation room he gave me a positively evil grin. I blew him a kiss and he flipped me off.

I worked out most of my nerves, stretching my arms above my head and doing a brief warm up. By the time it was time for me to go, I was nearly ready.

I wished I could go visit Shōto before my match, but unfortunately that simply wasn't going to happen. I headed out onto the field, ignoring Present Mic's introduction of the two of us. I stood at one end of the arena, with Katsuki on the other.

"Start!"

Obviously I teleported directly to Katsuki, to his left side. Bubbles covered my arms as I grabbed him.

Into the air we went, high above everyone in the stadium. I let go of Katsuki and he rapidly twisted his body to start launching quick explosions out of the palm of his hands to stay in the air.

I teleported to his right and threw out a fast bubble-covered punch, he moved as fast as he could to try and avoid it. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't fast enough since he had to simultaneously keep himself from plummeting to the ground while avoiding me.

After the punch I teleported above him and kicked down towards his chest, but he successfully blocked me.

Grinning wickedly I said, "Can you keep up here, boy?"

A vicious grin lit up his face. "You think you can beat me in the air?"

"I _know_ I can."

Then the game was on.

The advantage was, of course, in my favor. I teleported sporadically around Katsuki, sometimes to punch, kick, or deflect, and other times to dodge his dangerous explosions. Every time Katsuki started to lower himself to the ground I found a way to literally _kick_ him back up into the air.

Our "game" was brutal. Every punch I landed drew blood, and every fist he dug into me burned my skin.

Katsuki was a natural when it came to hand-to-hand. Truly, in a decade or so, he might even be unbeatable in close combat; he was simply that talented.

But I had experience.

( **We** have experience)

My body moved like a puppet at a play, dancing to its own tune and effectively dodging the worst of Katsuki's explosions while still delivering a heavy offense.

As our mid-air combat dragged on, our injuries began to take their toll. Katsuki's face and upper body were heavily bruised, and my arms and legs were covered in blood and burns.

Still, our grins never left our faces.

' _I need to end this soon,_ ' I thought, as I spun to avoid Katsuki's sweeping kick. ' _I'm nearly out of power._ '

After another impromptu attempt at punching his throat, I teleported a few meters away from Katsuki. I formed my bubbles into a whip and before Katsuki noticed my position I threw it out. It wrapped around his right leg and Katsuki immediately whirled around to face me, firing off another explosion.

Using every bit of my strength I _yanked_ the whip to try and throw Katsuki to the ground and out of the arena.

Katsuki tumbled down, tucking in and grabbing my bubble-turned-whip before pulling with all his might. He pulled the whip towards him, launching both of us towards each other before I could even think about letting go.

Before we crashed into one another I reflexively teleported below him, since he would probably expect me to teleport behind him.

But then he smiled and I realized he had been building up for one hell of an explosion.

I—

My heart clenched and with a yelp my bubbles dissolved and I began to free fall to the ground.

' _Unlucky time to run out of power!_ '

As I fell, Katsuki released his full-force explosion and all I could to was hold up my arms and tuck my body to brace for the force. The fires licked and burned all around me and the force threw me straight into the concrete ground below me.

The wind flew out of me, and I heard the snaps of my ribs—

(Snip. Snap. Sn **ip**. **Snap**.)

My heart _thumped_ and my wand returned inside of me.

My head spun, and as the fires cleared away I realized I was in very, very bad shape.

Adrenaline rushed through my system, drowning out the pain and I—

 **We** smiled.

Katsuki tumbled to the ground, panting and bending over. He was bruised, bleeding heavily, and looked damn near ready to fall over at any moment; but he stood standing. He wheezed, "That all you got, B-Bubblegum?"

 **We** stood up, ignoring the snips and cracks of the bones. **We** put **our** knee back into place.

( **Fun time?** )

Nemuri stiffened and immediately raised her whip. Her face had turned pale with fear and her hand quivered. "Kiyomi is unable to continue. Katsuki is the winner."

 **Our** head was bowed, but **we** tilted it when she said that. Her eyes were sharp on **us** , and she immediately moved to stand between **us** and Katsuki.

( _ **Fun time?**_ _)_

"What? That's f-fucking bullshit, she's still standing!"

"Let Kiyomi rest," Nemuri said tersely, her cold eyes never leaving **us**. She was ready to fight **us**. She was ready t-o p-l-a-y.

 **We** looked up at her.

 **We** smiled.

( _Not_ _yet_ , Blessed said.)

 **We** let Kiyomi join **us** in sleep.

I toppled over as oblivion greeted me.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I woke up as I was being carried down the hall. I heard footsteps running towards me, and I tiredly looked up. Every bit of my body ached, and I knew it would feel like I had been heavily sunburned for the next couple of the days as the burns healed.

' _Can't believe I ran out of power, then. Ugh. I was so close to winning, too. I have a way higher stamina and pain tolerance than him._ '

Oh well. Issues came with it being a tournament style competition. Unlike other Quirks—which typically only require an hour or so of resting before being fully recharged—my Quirk recharged slowly. It would take a full day of my wand resting inside of my heart before I could even think about teleporting anywhere. Long drawn-out battles were my enemies.

Suddenly, Shōto's face was beside me and Izuku and Ochaco were on my other side as I was being carried away in a stretcher.

"Hewwo 'ar'ings," I greeted with a tired smile, my words slurring together as I tried (and failed) to move my mouth.

"You okay?" Ochaco asked, concerned.

"Mmm-hmmm. Done worse t' ea'other," I dismissed. "'Leas' he didn' dis'ocate or brea' any'ing."

"That's a good silver lining," Izuku consoled.

"Mn. Sho-chan?"

"Yes?"

I looked him in the air, half-serious. "Aven' me. No let him win."

Shōto nodded slowly. "You will be avenged."

"Than'you. I'mma ta' a na' now."

"Sweet dreams," Ochaco said sweetly.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Exhausted, I opened my eyes to find myself staring at a sterile white ceiling above me. Chiyo, also known as Recovery Girl, was sitting beside me, and next to her was—

"Cactus-sensei?" I mumbled tiredly. My body ached as I forced myself to sit up. "Wha' happen…?"

Aizawa stared intently at me for another moment before he slightly shook his head. Chiyo let out a small sigh of relief. Aizawa then addressed me. "You lost consciousness. I'm only checking up on you."

"But the matches—?"

"Concluded. The award ceremony will be in about ten minutes."

I blinked, taking that in. "Oh. Who won?"

"Shōto Todoroki."

(Oh _ho_?)

I smiled at that, although it made my cheeks hurt. "That's wonderful. Is Bocchan taking the loss okay?"

"Nope."

"Aha." I shifted in my hospital bed, looking down at my skin. Chiyo had gone out of her way to make me look patched up so I wouldn't need the bandages. There was still a red tinge to my forearms, legs, and likely abdomen, but everything else looked fine.

Despite that I was minutely trembling, and my heart felt unnaturally hot. That was to be expected since I had drained all of my Quirk's power. My wand had withdrawn naturally back inside my heart, and I would be running a fever over the next few days while I recharged.

"Do you feel safe?" Aizawa asked me abruptly, pulling my mind out of my self-assessment.

"Huh? Yeah. I feel fine. Something wrong?"

"Do you remember your fight with Bakugō?"

Furrowing my brow, I reflected on my memories. To my surprise I realized I didn't remember anything after realizing I had run out of power.

' _Did I pass out, then?_ ' I wondered. That was unusual, but not entirely unexpected. I'd done that a few times when I spared against Aizawa or Nemuri. I never remembered what happened afterwards.

I shook my head. "I remember up until I ran out of juice, but that's it. Ah, kinda embarrassing, huh?"

"It was expected of you to run out of power during the tournament, especially after the second game," Aizawa said bluntly. "Your second ability is a larger drain on your reserves than teleporting, and since you maintained it while carrying others for a prolonged period of time… It's impressive that you lasted as long as you did."

I blushed at that praise. "Thank you, Sensei. I really did my best."

There was a slight twinge in his face. "I know. Get dressed and prepare yourself for the award ceremony."

"Yes, Sensei."

* * *

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* * *

 _This chapter was a special kind of hell since fight scenes are so painfully boring to write._

 _Small therapy-no-jutsu twist since Izuku knows Kiyomi and Shōto a lot better than his canonical counterpart. Friendship for the win!_

 _(Yes Aizawa was there to make sure Kiyomi woke up as Kiyomi)_

 _Side note to the reader who asked about_ _ **angst**_ _: I have five major angst events scheduled (so far). The first one won't show up until around chapter 14/15, I think? It'll be after the summer camp. So anyone who's looking forward to some tear-jerkers, you'll have to bear with me until then._

 _I kept the team matches pretty similar, because I thought it gave some characters good development I didn't want to mess up. That being said, I swapped Denki for Fumikage because 1.) Fumi is a cutie and 2.) This Shōto is more inclined to work with Fumi over Denki for a very silly reason. :P_

 _Poor girls. Most of these students are inexperienced with actual combat at this point, whereas Kiyomi lives and breathes hand-to-hand._

 _ **Answer:**_ _Family._

 _ **Question:**_ _What's your motto?_

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	9. Hope

**Take the time to rest. Don't overwork yourself. Whatever it is,** _ **it can wait**_ _**for you**_ **.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

 ***** I'd like to take this moment to say** _ **thank you**_ **for all the wonderful fanart I've received for this story.**

 **Thank you, Wattpearl (Wattpad) Thejunestone (deviantART)**

 **Thank you, Cantrona (deviantART)**

 **Thank you, Santronix (tumblr)**

 **Thank you, OCGuruJenn (deviantART)**

 **Thank you, Arneewenn (deviantART)**

 **All of their work can be found on their respective deviantART, Wattpad, or tumblr page. The fanart can also be found on my deviantART (Charredblossom16) or tumblr (burntpetal16). Please check out their lovely work!**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"All of the first year events for this year's U.A. sports festival have been completed. And now we will begin the award ceremony."

The winners' podium below me jolted as it started to move. I stood on the third place platform, my hands tucked neatly in front of me. Shōto stood above and to my right at first place, and Katsuki was chained up and glowering at second place.

A wave of dizziness momentarily hit me, but I steeled myself.

' _Gotta make it through this then I can rest,_ ' I coached myself. ' _Little bit longer, Kiyo._ '

The pedestal moved us up and onto the arena floor, and there were smoke, fireworks, and confetti blocking our vision. When the smoke cleared I saw an abundance of reporters, photographers, and cameramen in front of us. It was blinding from all those flashing lights.

"In addition to Kiyomi-chan, there is also Iida-kun in third place, but he left early for family reasons. Thank you for your understanding." Nemuri raised her right hand. "Now, we will award the medals. The presentation of the medals will, of course, be by this man—"

"HA! Hahaha." All Might leapt high into the air while the crowd cheered. "I'll have the medals!"

Nemuri held out the medals towards All Might. "Now then, All Might, please present the medals, starting with third place."

All Might grabbed the first one and approached me with that big grin. "Congratulations, Kiyo-chan."

I beamed. "Thanks, Cinnamon-Roll-san!"

All Might laughed, placing the medal over me and pulling me in for a gentle hug. "Keep up with that smile, Kiyo-chan, and you'll be a great hero. But be aware of your own limits. Pushing yourself too hard can only do more harm than good."

"Yes, Sensei," I answered meekly.

All Might patted my back. "Good girl."

He turned to Katsuki.

"Bakugō-kun, congratulations."

" _Tt_ ," Katsuki hissed out in rage, glaring defiantly up at All Might, completely chained up. I knew Katsuki had to be upset that our match was rather… abrupt, on top of losing to Shōto. I thought the chains were a bit much; Katsuki would never attack _but_ he would definitely be howling all kinds of profanity and rage so the muzzle was arguably warranted.

All Might chuckled, moving to place the medal over his head. "That was an excellent battle. You fought valiantly, and while you did not come out the victor, you certainly showed the world what potential you have. Keep it up, and I have no doubt you'll go far. Please accept this medal."

Katsuki refused to lower his head to accept the medal, so All Might placed it in his mouth instead before moving on to Shōto.

Shōto gave a respectful nod, accepting All Might's medal. "Congratulations, Todoroki-kun. It was amazing to truly see you give it your best, and come out on top. I'm glad to see young Midoriya was able to help you, and I hope you'll continue to give it your absolute all."

"Yeah, I've got a promise to keep," Shōto said quietly. All Might's grin stretched a bit wider at that and he hugged Shōto.

"Then I've got nothing more to say."

And with that, the festival was concluded.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I rested my head on the desk, feeling unsurprisingly tired. Being at absolute zero power was a discomfort that was challenging to accurately explain. It was arduous, and debilitating. Not only did it feel like my entire body was being weighed down by sandbags, but my heart felt like it was inside a bucket of dry ice. Each intake of breath had little icicles poking out and jabbing the inside of my chest. It made me feel unnaturally cold, and nothing would be able to warm me back up until my wand was fully restored.

On top of all of that, I had a fever, and all that entailed.

I was 100% ready to crawl into bed and never come out.

I didn't even remember making it back to the classroom after the award ceremony.

' _When did I get dressed?_ '

I vaguely realized I was back in my school uniform.

' _How did I manage to do that?_ '

Suppressing a moan, I turned my head and let out a soft breath. Aizawa was speaking, but I was only half-paying attention. Something about the festival. Then something about no school tomorrow.

Something something.

I blinked and suddenly chairs were being scooted back as the school day was officially over. There was some chattering, all happy and pleasant. It made for some nice white noise, and I wondered if it would be okay if I went ahead and took a nap at school. It wouldn't be the first time I'd fallen asleep on school property.

' _If I can make it to the teacher's lounge I bet I could sleep on the sofa,_ ' I thought, trying to motivate myself to move.

A hot, no cold, no wait, hot? A hand. It was definitely a hand. A hand was placed over my forehead and another hand rubbed my back.

"I think you should crash with me tonight," Izuku said gently, rubbing my back.

"You've got a fever," Ochaco exclaimed, and I blearily looked up at her through half-lidded eyes. "Is that normal?"

"She gets a fever when she's drained of power," Shōto explained quietly. "Midoriya-kun, I'll carry her."

"Oh," Izuku bit his bottom lip. "Okay, thanks. Would you like to stay for dinner too, then?"

Shōto shrugged in response. Izuku pulled out his phone—likely to warn Inko of the incoming company—and sent a flurry of text messages. Shōto took that opportunity to pat the top of my head.

Ochaco fretted. "Deku-kun, you'll let me know how she is tomorrow, right?"

"Oh, um, yeah, no problem," Izuku said. "We should get going, then. I'm sure Kiyo-chan probably wants a bed."

' _Yes, please_ ,' I thought.

"Here, let me make it a bit easier to get adjusted," Ochaco said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I was immediately light as feather, and a little disoriented at that sensation. Shōto quietly thanked her, easily picking me up. Between the two of them they managed to get me on Shōto's back, piggyback style. My head was tucked in between his neck and shoulders, and he had a firm grip on my legs and bottom.

Ochaco released her Quirk, and Shōto only had to readjust once to get comfortable. "Thank you, Uraraka-san."

Ochaco waved her hand. "Aha, don't worry about it. She's my friend, too."

"I love you," I mumbled.

Ochaco poked my cheek. "Get some rest."

Izuku grabbed my bag, slinging it over his shoulder with ease. "Let's get going, then."

* * *

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* * *

"… How's your hand?"

I was moving.

No, wait, um.

' _I'm on Shōto's back_ ,' I remembered. ' _We were in the classroom—Ah, I must have dozed off._ '

We were walking outside, that much I knew. I didn't have the motivation to open my eyes, so I kept them shut.

Izuku responded back with, "It's okay."

"I'm sorry. I lost my temper. You were only trying to help me and I—I shouldn't have been so violent."

Izuku laughed. "I was trying to get a rise out of you, Todoroki-kun. I have only myself to blame for this, and I don't hold it against you at all. Please don't worry about it."

Shōto's grip tightened briefly. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?"

"You are—you are a good person, Midoriya-kun. I think you'll be a great hero."

I didn't have to see Izuku's face to know it was redder than a rose in bloom.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself staring tiredly at a ceiling. I felt no better than before, and wondered what had woken me up. Turning my head, I found Inko silently slipping into the room and carrying a tray with some kind of clay pot on it.

' _Inko—? Ah, I'm at Izu-chan's._ '

I forced myself to sit up, and Inko's eyes widened in surprise, "Kiyo-chan, I'm sorry if I woke you. I was only going to leave the dinner here."

"You're fine," I told her, unintentionally slurring. A quick glance around told me I was in Izuku's bed. His clock read 6:45. "Um, th-thank you."

Inko smiled warmly at me. "No need for that, Kiyo-chan. You're practically family." That made my lips turn upwards in a genuine smile. Inko held out the tray. "Would you like to try and eat? It's leek stew."

"Yes, please." Eating didn't sound very good at all, actually, but I knew I had to eat. I slowly slid out of Izuku's bed and onto the floor, pulling along one of his blankets and wrapping it around me. I was still cold, and shivers ran down my back, but the blanket provided a psychological comfort. Inko placed the tray in my lap, brushing back some of my hair before placing a brief kiss on my forehead.

"I'll bring you something to drink. How's your throat?"

"A little sore," I admitted quietly. "Thank you."

Inko waved me off before leaving the room. With shaky hands I lifted the lid off the clay pot. The smell of stewed potatoes and vegetables assaulted my nostrils, but filled me with a sense of comfort. Home cooked meals always made me feel lighter, and Inko was every bit as good of a cook as my Papa and Baba.

When the door opened back up it was actually Izuku who brought in a cup of something warm. He gave me his usual sunny smile, taking a seat on the floor beside me. "Hey."

"Hey."

Izuku placed the tea on the tray. "Mind if I keep you company?"

I shook my head, giving him a wobbly smile. "I don't think I'll be very good company."

"Well, that'll be for me to judge, huh?"

I slowly took a sip of the soup. The broth was heavy, and it warmed my stomach. "Sho-chan go home?"

"Yeah, he left a little bit before you woke up. He stayed for dinner, though."

"Thank you."

Izuku waved me off. "Don't mention it. Eat and get better, okay?"

The rest of the night and following day was a blur. I slept for the majority of it, only waking up when Inko had me eat. I felt bad to impose upon my friends, but I was too physically drained to do anything about it. I did make a mental note to somehow repay them for their kindness.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The day after that I woke up curled into Izuku's side and feeling significantly better than before. My dear friend was snoring softly, almost all the blankets thrown over me. I still felt lethargic and out of sorts, but I could tell that my fever was gone and my wand was nearly restored. The chill inside of my heart wasn't as obvious, and each breath no longer bothered me.

I sat up slowly, looking around the room.

' _We have school today,_ ' I thought, ' _so I should go home and get ready._ ' It was around four in the morning.

Izuku gave a big stretch, opening his eyes and looking up at me. "Morning, Kiyo-chan."

"Morning, buddy," I rasped, wincing at how my voice cracked. "Thanks for being my heater."

Izuku yawned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "'S'fine. Better?"

"Mm-hmm. I'll head home real quick and get ready. I'll come back to thank Inko-chan, though."

He gave me a half-asleep thumbs up and I hopped back home.

Unsurprisingly Baba and Papa were already up, brewing coffee and making breakfast. Baba turned around when I came into the kitchen, giving me a warm smile. "Welcome home, Kiyo-chan."

Papa looked up from mixing the pancake batter. "C'mere, Kiyo." I headed over towards Papa, and he pulled me into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of my head. "You did good at the festival. We're proud of you."

My cheeks burned, and a giddy happiness settled over me. I couldn't resist grinning. "Thanks, Papa."

Baba reached over and kissed my cheek. "Go shower and get dressed. Before you go to school, please give Inko-chan some food and flowers as thank you."

Baba gestured over towards several containers filled with fresh vegetables and fruit from our farm, as well as a beautiful potted flower taken straight from Baba's prized garden. I smiled at that, knowing Inko would be flustered to accept so many lovely things, but equally happy about it. She loved our tomatoes.

"I'll be sure to do so," I promised Baba. Baba smiled brightly at me, then shooed me off to take a quick bath and get ready for the day.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

An hour later I was cleaned up, and in a school uniform that didn't reek of sweat. Baba and Papa had prepared a wonderful breakfast that I devoured in minutes.

I wasn't entirely back at a hundred percent, but I was close enough to feel some semblance of normalcy again. I gathered up the thank-you basket—and a cute little handwritten card made by Baba—and headed back over to Izuku's.

Inko gave a little startled shout when I appeared behind her in the kitchen, relaxing immediately when she saw it was me. "Oh, Kiyo-chan, feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks so much for taking care of me," I gushed, handing her the basket. "Hang on, gotta get the flower now."

"Oh you don't have—" I teleported right back and grabbed the pot. "—to."

I placed the pretty blue flower on her counter, beaming at her. "Just like you didn't _have_ to take care of me. Inko-chan, you should know by now how the Marins are."

Inko gaped at the flower, her cheeks flushing pleasantly. "This is gorgeous—oh, please do tell your Baba I said thank you."

I saluted her as Izuku walked into the kitchen, dressed for school. "Welcome back, Kiyo-chan."

I beamed at my friend. "Thanks for having me. Sorry for any inconvenience."

Naturally Izuku waved me off. "Don't mention it. You've taken care of me plenty of times, especially when I was—you know."

 _Training with All Might and overworked to the point that I couldn't even move my legs._

That went unsaid in front of Inko, but I smiled in response. I reached forward and ruffled Izuku's hair. "That's what friends do."

"Exactly," Izuku agreed. "Wanna go to class together?"

Holding out my hand, I curtsied. "It would be my pleasure, good sir."

Taking the hint, Izuku bowed. "Let's be on the way then, m'lady."

Inko giggled adorably at the two of us, and I grabbed Izuku's offered hand before taking us straight to class.

I brought us over to our seats, unsurprised to already find Shōto there. He looked up at me and offered me a small smile. "Do you feel better?"

"Loads," I said, plopping into my seat. "Izu-chan took extra good care of me."

Izuku rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly. Shōto nodded towards him. "I'm glad. Thank you, Midoriya-kun."

"Really, don't mention it," Izuku insisted. "She'd do the same for me in a heartbeat."

"Of course I would. You're practically a brother to me," I said, beaming at him. He grinned widely back at me, taking his seat. "Oh, wow! Looks like it's raining today. Good thing you came with me, huh?"

"Yeah, but I've got an umbrella in my backpack in case you need to go somewhere else after school," Izuku said.

"Nah," I answered, stretching my arms up in the air and looking outside. "Hope the rain makes it to the farm. The tomatoes were pretty thirsty this morning."

"Kiyo-chan!" Ochaco cheered as she raced over towards my desk and threw her arms around me. I wrapped my own arms around her, nuzzling into her. "I'm so glad you're all better. You had me super worried. When Deku-kun texted me yesterday that you were still sick I was fully prepared to head over there myself!"

"D'aww," I said, feeling comfortably warm under Ochaco's affections. "You're so sweet. I'm all better now, though, so don't worry, okay?"

Ochaco pulled away, hopping into her seat in the process. "Okay!"

More students trickled in as time went on, some still chattering about the festival. I didn't listen in, because the rain outside held my attention.

Rain could be a great thing for the village, or a complete hassle, depending on how much. It was hard to see what the weather was like when I came home that morning since it was still dark, so I couldn't be sure.

' _If it's raining too hard then some of the roads might get flooded,_ ' I thought worriedly. ' _Auntie Nina's farm is by the stream and if it overflows… with big brother Shino gone Auntie won't have anyone around to help deal with the overflow. I should text Baba and ask her to keep me up to date on the weather. I'll stop by Auntie's house after school and check in on her, too…_ '

(purple and blue)

(purple and blue)

(her lips were purple and blue)

I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Baba. _**Is it raining at the farm?**_

 _ **A light sprinkle. Focus on your school, Kiyo-chan! Everyone will be okay.**_

I grimaced at the light chastisement.

' _I should still head over to Auntie Nina's farm sometime this week and repair her wall. It shouldn't take too long, and it'll put my mind at ease. I'm sure big brother Shino already got the supplies ready before he went abroad._ '

I decided to ask Shino. _**Hey, bro! Since it's nearing rain season I thought I'd rebuild Auntie's wall. Did you already get the stuff?**_

Everyone else by the creek should be okay: all of their walls were still holding.

(bloated)

(bulging)

(pale)

(purple and **blue** )

( _Drowned victims look the worst._ )

' _I'll double check just to be safe,_ ' I thought, a brief moment of panic making me grip my phone. ' _It doesn't hurt to double check._ '

( _I don't want to come home to another dead body._ )

My phone pinged, and I glanced down at Shino's response. _**Ye, n shed bhind coop. Ty pmpkin. Let me kno if u need anything.**_

' _Okay, good. I'll get it fixed up tonight. Nothing to worry about,_ ' I consoled myself.

The front door to the classroom opened up and Aizawa slouched in with a gruff, "Morning."

"Good morning," we responded.

"We're having a special hero informatics class today," Aizawa said. "Code names. You'll be coming up with hero names. This is related to the pro hero draft picks I mentioned the other day."

' _Wait, what? Oh God, did he talk about this right after the festival?_ ' My brow furrowed. ' _I don't remember anything._ '

"The drafts begin in earnest in the second and third years, after students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the pros. In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential. These offers are often cancelled if that interest dies down by graduation. Here are the totals for those with offers."

Aizawa clicked a button and the screen flickered once before displaying:

1.) Todoroki - 4123

2.) Bakugō - 3556

3.) Kiyomi - 3113

4.) Iida - 360

5.) Tokoyomi - 301

And so on.

"In other years it's been more spread out, but all eyes were on those three this year," Aizawa said.

Denki sighed. "Gah, there's such a big difference!"

"Those pros don't know a good thing when they see one," said Yuga.

Ochaco grabbed my hand, tears in her eyes. "We got offers, Kiyo-chan!"

"Whoever picks you is gonna be the luckiest hero in the world," I told her, smiling warmly at her. "They get see the cutest girl in all of 1-A, after all."

Her cheeks tinged pink while she giggled, lightly slapping my shoulder. "Shut up!"

"Keeping these results in mind whether or not anyone asked for you, you all will be participating in internships with pros. At USJ you already got to experience combat with real villains, but it will still be meaningful training for you to see pros at work firsthand." Aizawa took a small breath. "These hero names are still temporary, but if you're not serious about them—"

"You'll have hell to pay later!" Nemuri interrupted, opening the door and sauntering in. "Because a lot of hero names used by students become recognized by society, and they end up becoming professional hero names."

"So that's how it is," Aizawa concluded, slowly slipping into his sleeping bag. "Midnight will be helping you out. I can't do stuff like this. When you give yourself a name you get a more concrete image of what you want to be like in the future, and you get closer to it. This is what it means when they say _names and natures do often agree._ Like All Might, for example."

Boards and markers were passed down each row.

The name had been chosen for me long ago.

A couple minutes of silence filled the classroom before Nemuri said, "Okay, let's start presenting names starting with those who are ready."

I raised my hand and Nemuri immediately called me out, "Kiyo-chan! Come on up."

I hopped out of my desk, taking up my board and holding it close to my chest. I stood in front of the podium, offering the classroom a tentative smile.

"Saki, the heroine of hope," I said, holding out my board.

( **咲** **Sa** for blossom, for **her** **リリー**.)

( **希** **Ki** for hope, for **us** **みんな**.)

(without hope you stop living)

(without hope—)

(—hope it will _end_ )

(—hope we will be _free_ )

(—hope we can _love_ )

(Without hope there is nothing.)

"Mm! I like it, easy to say, not too outrageous, and optimistic like you," Nemuri said with a rewarding smile.

(Hope is all we have now)

(Hope is all we can give)

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* * *

After class, I took Shōto and Izuku home so they wouldn't have to walk in the rain, then I headed back and walked Ochaco home so she wouldn't have to be by herself (she insisted she was fine, but I was a worrywart at heart).

Afterwards, I headed home, changed into some work clothes, and headed over to Auntie Nina's home with Papa (he had figured out what I was doing and decided to tag along). Unsurprisingly, a few of my uncles and other big brothers were already there, all waiting for us.

"Hey, pumpkin," Uncle Tashi greeted me with a wrinkly smile.

"Hi, everyone," I greeted in return.

"You all really don't have to do this," Auntie Nina insisted, fretting over us on her front porch. "Really, it's not supposed to rain heavily for a while…"

"Come now, Nina-chan," Papa said with a patient smile. "It's what we do. We'll get your flood wall fixed up in no time."

Nina gave us worried looks. "Oh—"

"Come on, Auntie," big brother Kibako said, hopping up onto the porch. "Let's get you inside before you catch a cold. Your heating working?"

"Oh, well, actually it's been a bit iffy—"

"Why didn't you say so?" another big brother admonished. "I'll head back home and grab some of my tools and we'll get it fixed right now."

Nina's eyes watered. " _Boys_ —"

"Go on, Auntie, let us take care of you," I urged. "We're all one big family, aren't we? You can bake us your famous pumpkin pie as thanks."

"Okay, okay," Nina finally conceded, allowing Kibako to take her inside. "Please let me know if you need anything—"

"We'll be fine," Papa insisted. "Kiyo-chan, grab the cement mix in the back. You all help me move this shit."

"Papa!"

"Do as I say, not as I do, Kiyo-chan," Papa said with a wink.

I stuck my tongue out in response.

* * *

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* * *

 **Answer:** A happy thought a day makes a happy heart.

 **Question:** What's a happy thought for you?

Some have asked about Kiyo's town and the community. I largely base this on my own experience with the town my own Papa and Baba live in. Every summer and Christmas break I would head down there. Everyone in town was _so_ nice and helpful, it wasn't uncommon to see someone helping someone else. Everyone knew everyone. For those who don't have that background experience Kiyo's town can seem a little far fetched. I'd recommend watching Wolf Children, as it gives a good example of such a town.

And it's adorable.

Reviews are **love**!


	10. Better to Hunt

**Take a moment to look around you, and appreciate the moment you're in. Things can be hard at times, but things** _ **do**_ **get better; and if things are going well for you please take this moment to appreciate it.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

 **Triple update 'cause it's my birthday :D Special birthday wishes for all my fellow July babies and Cancer buddies.**

 **Big beautiful fanart by niasweet71 on deviantART! Please check it out when you get the chance. :)**

* * *

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* * *

"You're gonna intern at your dad's?" I asked, genuinely surprised by Shōto's choice.

Shōto gave a small shrug, sitting at my kitchen table and looking steadily at the glass of lemonade in front of him. Baba was humming something about first love while she mixed the batter for sugar cookies. She occasionally burst into full blown song, doing a little twirl around the kitchen and drawing a smile out of Shōto as he watched her dance without a care in the world.

Shōto took a sip from the lemonade after another heartbeat of silence. "I decided to learn what I can from him. I'm going to surpass him eventually, and I need—I need to learn how to better control my left side."

I rested my cheek in my hand, still staring at my friend with blatant worry. "I won't stop you if you think this is best, but I'm still worried about you."

"I know. You worry more than there are stars in the sky," Shōto told me.

"Doesn't she?" Baba chimed in, " _Oh, darling, won't you save the last dance for me?_ "

Shōto and I smiled as Baba broke into a completely different song halfway through her humming. She started scooping out the sugar cookies from the batter and placing them on a sheet.

The door to our patio opened up and Papa and a couple other men stepped into the quaint kitchen. Papa gave a small cheerful wave to Shōto and me. "Sho-chan, are you here for breakfast?"

"Yes, sir," Shōto said. "And cookies."

"No one can resist Mimi-chan's cookies," Uncle Tashi said, slapping Papa over the shoulder. "Kiyo-chan, Sho-chan, would you two mind helping us?"

Shōto and I immediately stood up from our table, ready to do whatever was needed.

"That old hag has a hole in her roof, but we've got to head over to Sakura's place to fix up their walls and fencing," Tashi said.

"Stop calling your sister an old hag," Baba scolded Tashi, waving her cookie-dough covered spoon at him.

"I call her an old hag because she is an old hag," Uncle retorted.

"You're older than she is!"

"But I have the heart of a twenty year old," Uncle Tashi declared, pounding his chest.

"We'll take care of Auntie Hanako," I said quickly before Tashi and Baba could get into another singing contest.

"Thanks, Kiyo-chan. Use the wood in our shed, since Lord knows that hag doesn't have any on hand," Papa said. Baba promptly swatted him on the shoulder the moment he said hag, which made Papa laugh and head back out. Uncle Tashi and Naru followed him out shortly, both grinning cheekily at the huffing grandmother who looked more than ready to paddle them.

Shōto followed me out towards our back shed, accepting the extra straw hat we kept inside, and doing a quick spray over with the sunscreen. I slipped on my work boots, tucking in my jeans. I used my bubbles to grab an abundance of wood while Shōto carried one of our sets of tool boxes (we had collected almost twenty over the years since that seemed to be a go-to Christmas gift for Papa for some of our neighbors).

 _Technically_ it was illegal to use Quirks outside of certain work zones and home, but no one would report me for using it to carry wood.

Especially since everyone used their Quirk willy-nilly around here.

"Thanks for helping me out," I said to Shōto as we walked over to Hanako's home. Her husband was currently in America on a business trip and wouldn't return for another week. Not that he would have been able to fix the roof because holy smokes Uncle Eric could _not_ use a hammer without breaking his thumb, or nailing something into his foot.

"It's no worry. Learning this stuff is useful," Shōto replied. "You have to do this all the time when you live here, right?"

"Not _all_ the time," I defended. "Maybe six times a year, unless we went through a _really_ bad storm. We're usually pretty good about keeping up to date with the roads and houses. Sakura-neechan is a bit of an exception, though."

"Who's, uh, Sakura?"

"She's new here," I answered. "Sakura-neechan moved here about a month ago with her two kids, Rika and Haru. They lived in the city all their lives, but I guess Rika and Haru have some healthy issues so Nee-chan moved here. They, uh, they don't know anything about farming, but they're definitely trying. We sometimes get cityfolk—er, I mean—people from the city that come and go during the summer, but they've never stuck around. But Papa and the others feel like she'll stay around so we're trying to help her spruce up the old dump she bought. It was a real mess, and she doesn't have a lot of money."

"Oh," Shōto said.

"Wanna visit them after we fix up the roof?" I offered. "Rika and Haru are _super_ cute."

"Okay," Shōto said.

I grinned brightly. "Good. I love kids. I want, like, a million of them when I'm older."

Shōto tugged down his hat. "A million?"

"Yep! Maybe two million."

"Oh," Shōto said, looking down at the road.

"I want to adopt like three. But I want to try the whole pregnancy thing once," I carried on. "What about you, Sho-chan?"

"Adoption sounds nice," Shōto answered. "I haven't put much thought into it, to be honest. I, uh, will now, though."

"Okay. Ah, Auntie's just up the hill. Let's get that roof nice and patched up."

Shōto and I headed up the hill, traveling the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Auntie Hanako was working the melon patch in the back, looking up long enough to wave us in and say, "Ice cream in the fridge, help yourselves darlings. Thank you so much!"

"I smell cake, too," I called back out, poking my head into her home.

"No more than one slice, missy! I know your Baba is making cookies too."

"Party pooper," I muttered under my breath, heading back outside and hopping on a flat bubble. I floated Shōto and myself up, and we set to work on patching up the roof. I wasn't very good at shingles, so Uncle Ruka would have to come back out and finish it, but this would keep nature out until then.

It didn't take more than half an hour to cut the wood up and nail it in. We did a couple layers—just to be sure—and we grabbed a couple cups of tea and cake to go; I managed to persuade Auntie to let me take some slices to Sakura and her children.

I teleported us over there right as Haru and Rika barrelled out of the front porch like hell was at their heels. Both were covered in dirt, and Sakura was soon chasing after them, "No! You need to wash up for lunch, children!"

Shōto and I immediately grabbed both children before they could get further than past the front porch, scooping each dirt-caked one up. Sakura's big blue eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled shyly. "Oh, Kiyo-chan, thank you. You are?"

"This is Sho-chan, er, Shōto," I said, not letting go of Haru even as he wiggled furiously. "Need help, Nee-chan?"

"I couldn't impose, Kiyo-chan—"

I held out my other arm to take Rika, and Shōto placed the fidgeting girl in it. I had a child underneath each arm, and a big grin on my face. "Take me to the bath. Let's see if we can get these rascals cleaned up."

Sakura bowed to me, and my phone dinged. I looked over at Shōto, and my best friend grabbed it out of my pocket, flipping it open. "It's a text message from… someone named Bocchan McMurder King?"

"Katsuki," I explained. "Answer him for me? I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay."

Shōto headed around back towards Papa and the others—a decently sized group of seven men and three women—who were working steadily on making Sakura's shed decent once more. Sakura guided me towards the bath, and both children fought valiantly to remain covered in dirt, but I was wise to their mischievous ways.

After much fussing the two were cleaned and dressed and threatened with lack of desserts for an entire week if they got dirty again.

My shirt and overalls got more than a little soaked in the process, but I didn't mind. Sakura looked immeasurably grateful. The poor woman must have been exhausted from such a hectic month. First evicted from her apartment, on top of her children's health issues, she had no choice but to move out here. And moving out here was _not_ something easy for most people who grew up in the city.

We had some of the basics, certainly, but living here was far from convenient.

Far from it.

You couldn't even _see_ convenient with a telescope, that's how far away it was.

It was worth it, in my opinion, but I understood perfectly well that the transition was not an easy one.

Sakura ushered her children into the living room and gave them some coloring books while she went back to making lunch for the abundance of helpers. I helped her out, and Shōto joined us shortly.

"How's the job hunt going?" I asked her.

"I found an opening at the library a couple towns over," Sakura said with a small, tired smile. "It'll be one hell of a commute, but thankfully the children will be going to school in the fall."

"If you ever need a babysitter literally ask any of the aunties," I told her, perfectly serious.

Sakura gave a small laugh. "I've noticed. I'm going to to take out these snacks now."

"Okay, we'll work on the vegetables," I said, looking over at Shōto and grinning. "You always get stuck doing this kind of stuff with me every time you visit."

"Yeah," Shōto said. "Oh well. Did you decide who you wanted to intern under?"

"Oh, yeah. Mirko."

"Mirko? Isn't she a Hunter? I thought you wanted to be a rescue specialist."

I gave a small shrug. "Cactus-sensei and Shishō insisted I ought to give hunting a try. They seem to think I'd be a natural at it."

Shōto looked down at the leek he was chopping up. "I guess. You're very strong, and you can be extremely quiet."

"That's what they said," I said. "I figured I might as well _try_ it, you know? Mirko _is_ one of the top ten heroes, so if I were to learn from anyone, she'd probably be a great teacher."

"I suppose," Shōto allowed. "I remember my father calling her a disagreeable sort."

"That—That doesn't mean a lot from him."

"This is true," Shōto agreed. "Oh. Before I forget, Bakugō-san wanted a rematch with me tonight. Are you okay to bring him here after dinner?"

"Huh? Sure. Wait did he seriously text me to ask for a rematch with you?"

"Not exactly," Shōto said slowly, handing me back my phone.

Katsuki: _**Bubblegum what the fuck are you doing right now?**_

Shōto: _**She is giving two children a bath.**_

Katsuki: _**Who the fuck is this then?**_

Shōto: _**Shōto Todoroki.**_

Katsuki: _**I DEMAND A REMATCH YOU HALF AND HALF BASTARD. THAT LAST MATCH WAS BULLSHIT.**_

Shōto: _**Okay.**_

Katsuki: _**TONIGHT**_ _._

Shōto: _**Okay**_.

I read over the messages one last time before texting Katsuki, _**If you're going to use me like a taxi service I demand a bigger tip next time you cheapskate.**_

Katsuki: _**FIGHT ME FOR IT PRINCESS.**_

Me: _**I WILL WHOOP YO ASS BOI.**_

Katsuki's only response was a picture of a middle finger. I decided to put my phone away then and return to helping Sakura make lunch.

We returned home a little before noon, both ravenous for brunch. Baba had quite the spread made, along with her divine sugar cookies. The four of us ate in the blessedly air-conditioned dining room, Papa telling Shōto another one of his wild adventures from childhood with Tashi and Ruka.

Shōto and I lounged around for a while until it was dark, then I picked Katsuki up for his rematch with Shōto—no Quirks allowed—and the two sparred against each other for over an hour before Baba came out, called it a draw, and told us to get to bed since we had school tomorrow.

Of course this didn't make Katsuki happy, so he demanded _another_ rematch next weekend—which Shōto agreed to—before I took him back home.

Shōto and I went to bed after that, Papa warning us to keep the bedroom door open because if he found me curled up in Shōto's bed again ("I can't help it if I naturally seek out heat, Papa!" / "I don't care!") he was gonna have to make him sleep outside in the shed.

All in all, it was a lovely Sunday.

A perfect way to prepare us for Monday, when we would start our internship.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"You all have your costumes, right?" Aizawa asked flatly, addressing the entire class that had gathered at one of the main stations. "Remember, you aren't allowed to wear them in public. Don't drop them or anything."

"Yes!" Mina shouted gleefully.

"Speak clearly," Aizawa cut in sharply. "It's _yes, sir,_ Ashido."

"Yes, sir," Mina repeated mournfully.

"Make sure you mind your manners with the heroes at your internships. Off you go now," Aizawa finished.

"Yes, sir!" we shouted as one.

I gave a small wave towards Aizawa, Izuku, and Ochaco, since I would be teleporting straight away to Mirko's base. My friends bid me farewell, and off I went.

"Come on in, pinkie," a loud voice called out the moment I landed on the steps to the front door. At the invitation, I turned the door handle and entered the apartment. Cool air greeted me at once and the first thing I saw was a spacious room filled with workout equipment.

It was also covered in dirty clothes, reeked of sweat, and had piles of empty energy drinks thrown about haphazardly. At first impression I was immediately left with the assumption that whoever lived here was either lazy, or a slob. Perhaps both.

My attention eventually fell onto the extremely athletic young woman who lay on a bench press and was currently doing some arm curls. She grinned at me, her smooth dark skin lightly coated in sweat and her lightly-colored hair swept up in a messy bun. Her feral grin seemed at odds with the adorable bunny ears on either side of her head. "Yo!"

"Hello," I greeted in return, smiling politely. "I'm Kiyomi, you must be—"

"Hero names only," she interrupted. "I'm Mirko."

"S-Saki."

" _Saki_ ," Mirko repeated, dropping the weight down and standing up in a swift movement. Bright eyes gleamed as they examined me. Mirko gave a slight _hmm_ sound then raised a hand. "Come at me. Let me see what you got, princess."

I shifted stances, setting down my suitcase and slightly raising my hands. I was glad I had chosen to wear practical over cute that day, correctly anticipating I would immediately be put to work.

' _She's the current number eight hero—'_

(Five too soon)

'— _so I can't underestimate her. She's stronger, bigger, and faster than me. Judging by how athletic she is, she's probably equal if not superior to me in flexibility. The only way I'll win—'_

"Quirks?" I asked her.

"Go ahead," she said with a purr. "Don't hold back, because I sure as shit won't."

I dropped down, teleporting in between her legs and going for a sweeping motion to knock her off her feet. It was an unexpected place to teleport—most people would teleport on the front, or behind, not _beneath_ —so I hoped to catch her off guard.

Her elated grin at this, however, threw me for a loop. She leapt up high into the air, easily hopping up to the second floor—which was when I realized this room's ceiling went all the way to the top of the five story building—and landing on the balcony. "Not bad, princess! I can honestly say I didn't expect that."

"Your reaction time is impeccable, then," I said, looking up at her with a tilt in my head.

"Of course it is," she answered with a scoff. "Come at me again, little girl. I want to see you work for it."

I obliged.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Our match lasted three hours before Mirko decided she was satisfied with my showing. My wand had dropped down to fifty percent—thankfully I didn't have to use my bubbles, which took up a considerably larger amount of power than simply teleporting—so I was grateful for the chance to rest. Even though I was physically fit, trying to catch someone—and occasionally fight them off—for three hours was tiring.

Mirko, who I had learned had been working out since six that morning, was sweaty but looked exhilarated and gorgeous. It amazed me how some people could be beautiful under any circumstances, and Mirko was undoubtedly one of them.

"Not bad," Mirko said, breathless, "not bad at all. Alright, princess, I'll take you out on patrol… after you clean this place up. It's a fucking mess."

I let out a small sigh at that, looking around the thoroughly messy apartment. "Okay. Where do you keep the trash bags?"

"Underneath the kitchen. Ah, I love it when they don't back talk. Although you're the first kiddo I've agreed to take on. Consider yourself blessed. I hate working in teams; if you can't do it on your own then you're weak," Mirko declared, her rabbit ears raised.

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that end," I said quietly.

Mirko reached over and patted me hard on the top of my head. "Don't be so polite. If you have an issue, speak up. Disagree, _say something_."

My lips twitched. "Okay. People who usually cry out that working with a team is a weakness, are usually the people who are too afraid to make any deep emotional connections."

"Fuck you," Mirko responded eloquently, still grinning. "I'm not afraid of anything. Working with people only slows me down." She patted the top of my head again roughly. "But there. Doesn't that feel better? Now get to work, princess. I want this place _immaculate_. Hey, you like pizza? Too bad, I'm gonna order some. Hope you like meatlovers."

Mirko gave a big stretch as she casually walked around the room, her grin never fading.

' _A little erratic, but who isn't?_ ' I thought to myself, heading into the kitchen. I was tired and could definitely use a hot bath, but I pushed through. I'd worked on the farm after intensive workouts with Katsuki or Shōto; this wasn't all that different. Besides, heroes had to constantly push themselves to improve.

(Keep mOvInG)

Grabbing the trash bags, I set to work.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Mirko only came by one more time to bring me my own pizza and a few bottles of water. She headed off to her private work room shortly afterwards, telling me I could go to bed whenever I wanted, and that my room was on the top floor.

I declined, choosing to finish cleaning. The sooner I finished cleaning, after all, the sooner we could go on patrols.

I worked well on into the night, and into the morning. When the sun finally rose up again, I tiredly threw out the last of the trash bags I had filled.

Mirko told me to get some rest, and that night we would go out on our first patrol.

All too happily, I slipped into my provided bed and slept for the rest of the day.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

At nineteen hundred, Mirko and I were dressed in our hero uniforms, about to start our first patrol together.

"Here," Mirko said, handing me something that looked vaguely like a walkie-talkie. I carefully took it, raising an eyebrow when I looked up at her. "This is what we use instead of phones. This has anti-tracking on it, so villains can't trace our location. Leave your real phone behind."

"Oh," I said, accepting it. That sort of made sense.

"I'm a Hunter," Mirko said, her standard feral grin on her face. "I'll do the rescue-stick every now and then, but my primary job is to hunt down the big baddies and give 'em a good beat down. There's nothing better than the feeling of hunting down some dumbasses and watching them pee their pants when yeh find 'em."

She cackled with glee, placing an arm around my shoulders and pulling them in. "You'll see what I'm talking about soon, little princess. With your teleportation you could hunt down _anyone._ Ha! I bet if you popped up right underneath those fuckers they'd shit their pants."

"That sounds like something I very much do _not_ want to happen when I'm under them," I pointed out.

She laughed, slapping my back. "I'd pay money to see that. Alright, put that walkie away and let's go. Any electronics you got; leave 'em here."

"Sure thing," I agreed easily. I reached behind to my small fanny pack that I kept securely behind my waist and pulled out my phone and GPS. I placed both of them in Mirko's outstretched hands and she tossed them into a safe near the door. I placed my walkie in the pack instead before I closed it.

"Let's hunt down some bitches," Mirko declared, heading out the front door. "We won't hunt anyone too big, since you're a wee baby and all, but I've been saving a couple of thugs just for you."

When I stepped out the front door Mirko shut it behind her.

Mirko patted her white messenger bag once before she pulled out a folder and handed it to me. "Let me see what you can do. That's the fella we'll be hunting. I've already given you his habits, and a list of his usual haunts. Find him, and kick his ass."

I flipped open the folder, scanning over the MiSiSiOn report with narrowed eyes.

 _ **Name**_ _: Baru Hirakami_

 _ **Age**_ _: 23_

 _ **Quirk**_ _: Knife nails_

Wanted for several accounts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and robbery.

The summary went on for a few more paragraphs before fading away into a list of locations the culprit was last seen at.

"You have my permission to use your Quirk," Mirko said. "This isn't someone you want to mess around with, even if I would only classify him as a C."

"C?" I murmured, the ranking tugging at some familiar strings in the back of my head.

"Us Hunter Heroes work exclusively on bringing in the baddest of the bad. The Hunter Guild—that's the worldwide organization in charge of us—labels each baddie on a scale. C, which is the most common, means slightly above average thug. Ds are your average thugs. Bs can be a bit tough, especially for a rookie, but if you play it smart you should be okay. As' are reserved for veterans or highly skilled Hunters like myself, and Ss' require teams." Mirko's grin stretched more widely across her face, showing off her canines. "Although I became the a top hero by bagging a couple S dumbasses on my own. Never needed a team, never will."

I gave a slow nod, acknowledging the information. I knew Hunter Heroes operated on a different ranking system than the typical hero, they were held to another standard, as well. Some Hunter Heroes literally had a licence to kill—although such a thing was usually reserved for truly dangerous criminals, like Hero Killer Stain, and they had to pass an abundance of psychological evaluations on a bi-annual basis.

Taking a life, no matter the reason, was an awful thing and should only be reserved as a last resort.

"When you got this punk tied up, let me know and I'll head your way. Other than that? Get outta here. I've got my own patrols to do, kiddo."

Without another word Mirko turned on her heel and leapt up

 _Time to hunt._

 _(hunthunthunthunthunt)_

Hunting for targets was an art on its own. It required a good amount of predictive, logical, and strategic thinking; a handful of luck; strong instincts; and the physical capability to do so. Aizawa had frequently told me I would make an excellent hunter due to how I naturally walked.

I hadn't been aware that I walked so quietly until Aizawa had pointed it out to me when I was around twelve.

" _Like a cat stalking her prey,_ " Aizawa had told me. " _Your distribute your weight evenly with every step, and move with extreme care. It's a habit not typically learned by someone your age. It'd be a waste not to capitalize on it._ "

I knew how to sneak; I knew how to hide in the shadows and more importantly, how to hide in plain sight.

Obnoxiously pink hair, and a bright outfit would _normally_ draw attention.

But to someone with enough talent, they knew how to utilize such odd things in order to hide amongst the populace.

When people thought of hunters they thought of dark colors, quiet stalkers, and a certain level of _threat_ to radiate off of them. Mirko, in her bunny costume, contradicted the first two but exemplified the last thought. Her aura, and her presence, radiated danger and violence. Prey—the hunted—unless they were inept, had a basic instinct to sense the threat.

I had read up on Mirko.

She didn't successfully sneak up on her enemies, so much as she literally ran them down with her superior speed and strength. A lot of Hunters—especially younger ones like Mirko—did this. They relied on their strength, and Quirk, to catch the perps in the end.

They ultimately had to retire from the Hunting program earlier than others because eventually their bodies and Quirks would fail them.

The ones that last until the end, that always survive, and always capture their prey are the ones who disappear into the crowd.

They're the women who smile kindly before digging the poisoned knife into your back.

They're the grandfatherly men who chat your ear off before they knock you so quickly off your feet you don't even blink.

They're the ditzy girls who look like magical girls or maids before they break your legs in one fell motion.

My bubbly outfit was designed to calm the others around me, to reassure everyone that I was _here_ , and I was _helpful_ , I was _kind_.

And I was (I hoped). I would help those in need without hesitation. If it was a choice between saving someone and hunting down my prey, I would always choose to save someone.

I would smile and spread hope however I could.

But I fully acknowledged that this outfit could perfectly hide my intentions and I'd be foolish not to take advantage of it.

So while Mirko would hunt on the rooftops, I would casually walk around the streets of the old haunts this man had frequented. I would strike up conversation with the locals, chatting with practiced ease like I would at the café and oh-so-subtly slip in _I'm a friend of so-and-so and I haven't seen him in awhile. Do you know if he's okay?_

" _Oh him? I saw him over at such and such."_

" _Thank you so much! I really hope he's okay."_

" _He looked a little off last I saw. I think you should check up on him."_

" _I'll go do that, thanks."_

" _Adorable outfit, by the way! You'll do great at that cosplay con, I bet."_

" _Thanks!"_

Within the hour I caught sight of him ducking down an alley and likely heading towards a different bar. I teleported into the next alley over, anticipating him to come down, and when he turned down it and saw me—

He took one look at me and grinned. "Hey, kiddo. Halloween's not here, yet."

"How rude! As if I would wear something this cute on Halloween. I'm Saki!"

"Lee," the prey lied. "You lost, little girl?"

"I'm waiting for someone," I said, looking up at the sky. He started to approach me, his guard dropping quickly. "Whatchya' doing here, mister?"

"Oh this and that," he said, now directly in front of me with a grin that promised nothing nice. "You probably should have stayed ho—"

Two of my bubbles wrapped around each of his legs before my third one rammed itself hard on the back of his neck.

He slumped over, and I merged my two bubbles into one, and used my extra one to bind his wrists.

Satisfied I would be able to hold him for a while, I got out my handcuffs and tied him up properly before I used the walkie to contact Mirko.

She arrived about fifteen minutes later, giving me a thumbs-up. "Atta girl. Only took you an hour, s'not bad for your first time. 'Course he was only a C. Ya know I picked this dumbass special for you."

"Really? What's special about him?" I inquired. "Because he was so easy?"

"Oh, no," Mirko disagreed, shaking her head. "Because he wanted to be an assassin. You know all about that, don't ya?"

' _An—_ '

It clicked.

I turned around towards her, slowly, cooling my features. "For someone who detests teams, it's odd to request an intern."

Mirko's grin didn't leave her face, but a colder spark entered her eyes. "You think?"

"A little blatant about it, aren't you?" I retorted, my voice coming out in a snap. "If you wanted to know, you only had to ask. You didn't have to pretend—"

"I don't pretend," Mirko cut in sharply, dropping her smile. "You performed well enough in the festival to catch my eye. You being who you are was simply the extra motivation I needed to ask you."

"What do you want, then? I barely know the woman."

"She's your mother," Mirko said, her rabbit ears cocked towards me. "I bet you know more than you think."

"What do you want?" I asked again, disgust settling inside of my stomach. It was hard not feel hurt by this revelation. I was behind stoked when I found out one of the top ten heroes _in the world_ had asked me for me. Now, though, she had apparently only requested because of my _mother_.

The feelings of disappointment and disdain was hard to ignore. I felt physically nauseous, and I clenched my hands into fists. I kept from openly glaring at her—regardless of how I felt, being rude to someone who was technically my superior went against my upbringing.

Even if I definitely wanted to kick her shins.

"What do you know about her?" Mirko asked unabashedly. "Do you have her Quirk?"

My lips curled into a fleeting sneer. "I don't know if I have her Quirk or not. I've never tested it out. As for what I know about her? She was raised to take over the farm. She was loved, and cherished by two wonderful people. Her Quirk didn't fully develop until she was fifteen, and she—and she killed her boyfriend.

"Papa's Quirk is that whenever he eats a strawberry whoever he kisses experiences a minor paralysis. Enough to make them lay still for a minute or two, but they become immune to it for an entire day afterwards. Mother showed signs of this, but her Quirk's paralysis lasted longer and longer as she got older. When she was fifteen she—she wanted to play a prank on her boyfriend. She kissed him, but that time she stopped his heart.

"He died. She ran away. She was a missing person for almost three years before she _debuted_ as an—as an _assassin_. Baba and Papa didn't know about _that_ for many more years, until the Hero Association approached them to ask about her. Sometime after that she had me, and dropped me off at Baba and Papa's farm. That's all I know."

Mirko hooked her fingers behind her head, leaning back as she regarded me. "You never tested to see if you got her Quirk? Looks like it's genetic."

"I've always said I had an allergy," I muttered. "There's no safe way to test something like that, and it's not something I want. There's no way to help someone with that."

"Hmm," Mirko hummed.

"She's on your list, I bet," I continued to mutter quietly. "Shishō told me she's made it into her own little top ten. You think you can get to her through me? Or find her because of me? You're only wasting your time. She wants nothing to do with me."

"You're still her child," Mirko pointed out idly. "Whatever you want to think, that's a connection that doesn't go away." Mirko shifted her posture. "Look, kid, you're gonna do well in school. You'll graduate in no time and then you'll be one of my colleagues. While it's not advertised who Death's Kiss's family is, people with the connections—like myself and any good Hunter—will figure it out. They're gonna judge you, and test you. I chose you because I wanted to judge you for myself. Mainly, I wanted to see if you would be the type to help your mother."

"Don't be absurd," I snapped out. "She's a murderer. I know all about the families she's ruined in her _greed._ She's not the kind of person I would ever help. And just because she's my _mother_ doesn't make her my _mom_."

Mirko's grin returned. "I believe yah. Let's get this guy over to the nearest precinct before he wakes up."

"Fine," I bit out.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"You did well," Mirko said to me when we returned that night. "Your Quirk is tailor made for hunting. Have you thought about it?"

"Yes," I admitted quietly, still upset with her and not really in the mood for conversation.

"You should ask for some tracking tips, then. There's a hunting course in your second year, and all those psychological mumbo jumbo can be real helpful," Mirko continued. "You'd make a good Hunter, I bet. When you're all grown up, I might even let you help me clean up."

"You clearly need a maid," I said, my lips twitching.

"Too true, princess, too true. What do you want to eat? I'm _starved_. Noodles sound good? Yeah, they do. Alright I'm gonna order some noodle, what do you want kiddo?"

"Whatever is fine," I answered her.

"That's the spirit. But, uh, hey I'm serious about the Hunter part. You got some killer instincts, and your footsteps don't make a sound. It took me years before I could be quiet like that, ya'know? Really think about it, kiddo."

(Better to hunt)

(than be hunted.)

I watched her head down the hallway and go into her private workroom, the queasy knot in my stomach slowly untangling itself. Talking about mother always left me conflicted. Baba and Papa sung praises of her—even to this day—and they both adored her. No matter what she did they would always love her.

Yet she threw all of that away.

Yes what she did was awful, but it was an _accident_. When Quirks are stabilizing these things _can_ happen. No one was to blame, it was simply a tragedy. If she had stayed things would have been okay for her. She'd have to go to mandated therapy, attend some classes, and whatnot; but that wasn't so bad. People didn't go to jail over things they couldn't control—certainly not minors—and she had no way of knowing her Quirk would _kill_ him. It never had before.

At worst she would have had to spend a couple years in juvenile detention, but when she got out she'd have the entire community there to support her. She'd keep working on the farm, go to therapy, and grow up into a relatively well-adjusted adult.

Instead she left him there to rot, and ran away.

It was—it was such a _stupid_ choice. Baba and Papa always said—hell, _everyone_ always said—that she wasn't an idiot. She was smart.

She'd have to be smart to evade capture for almost twenty years now, despite being one of the top ten most wanted assassins in the world.

How could someone so smart do something so stupid?

Unless it _wasn't_ an accident.

And _that_ bothered me.

Everyone would swear up and down that that it had to have been an accident, that she could have had no way of knowing.

But if it was an accident, then why did she run off and become an assassin?

It made no logical sense.

Unless it _wasn't_ an accident.

Unless she _intended_ to kill him.

But _why_? And how would she know what her Quirk did unless she tested it—tested it elsewhere?

All these thoughts made my stomach turn into a ball of yarn. It was all mostly instinct, and theoretical. I hadn't dared bring up the subject to Baba and Papa, and I didn't want to bring it up with Nezu without proof.

' _You don't just flip a switch and start killing people_. _You're either born with it, or you turn into it._ '

Yet, for all intents and purposes, when someone glanced at Death's Kiss's file it looked like that's exactly what she had done.

The whole thing stunk of something weird, and it wasn't something I was ready to deal with.

Maybe one day I'd get the whole truth, but that day wasn't today.

' _That woman has taken up enough of my thoughts, I won't let her have any more tonight._ '

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next night was another patrol.

"I let you have a go at it last night to see how you think," Mirko said, leaping up onto a rooftop. I followed shortly behind her. "Tonight, though? Tonight you're gonna watch _me_. I don't wanna hear a peep outta yah until we're back safe, 'kay? We're going for some of the bigger assholes tonight. I know you can handle yourself _well enough_ , but don't go thinkin' yeh can solo these dirtbags."

I made a miming motion of zipping my lips.

Mirko beamed at me. "Atta girl! Alright, keep up."

I kept a distance between us, and I watched her hunt.

She hunted like a rabid wolf.

( _Sloppy._ )

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"You know what sounds good for tonight? _Burgers_. Fuck yes. Let's get that shit ordered. What do you want, princess?"

"Whatever," I answered.

She grinned and gave me a thumbs up. "My kind o' girl. Six triple stacked burgers coming up! Oh, uh, hey—you know my old man was the leader to a mob."

At that abrupt confession, I turned towards her with wide eyes. She was still grinning at me. "Parents can suck, sure, but that just means you gotta do better. Your old woman is evil, no doubt about that, so you'll have no problem being better than her, yeah? So don't worry about it too much. If you get your panties in a twist every time someone talks to yeh about her, you'll never get anywhere. And if you wanna be a professional hero, you can bet your pink little butt that people are gonna find out. So prepare yourself, princess, got it?"

Words failed me momentarily, and by the time I could scrounge up a _thank you_ she had already entered her private work room and shut the door.

Mirko took me out on a couple more hunts since then. She hunted exactly as before; using her raw physical prowess to chase villains down rather than catching them by surprise. She never did anything to hide her blatant—well, I wouldn't call it _bloodlust_ but it was certainly similar—desire to harm them.

Her confession about her heritage made me less irritated with her. She seemed— _seemed_ —to honestly want to warn me what it would mean to come into the professional world with a villain as a mother. Even if I had not talked to the woman in fifteen years it wouldn't stop others from looking at me with suspicion whenever Death's Kiss was involved.

I knew that beforehand—Nezu had told me such—but I had yet to experience it until Mirko took me under her wing.

All things considered she wasn't a terrible person for choosing me to be her intern because of my mother.

I might even have done the same thing in her place.

That being said I didn't like the way she hunted.

It felt… crude.

(Amateurish)

(Basic)

( _boring_ )

When she tried to make me follow her lead, I purposefully kept a certain distance between us and only did the bare minimum. She and I had very different views on how to hunt villains, and how to capture them.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she had already applied for a license to kill from the Hunter Guild, she was simply that overtly aggressive.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Nothing else of real note happened during my internship, not to me at least.

Unfortunately since I did not carry my phone with me during I did not receive Izuku's message until nearly morning.

As it would seem, one of my best friends had been attacked by none other than the dreaded Hero Killer, Stain.

(Better to hunt)

(than be _hunted_.)

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Mirko is largely unknown to the fanbase, so how I'm writing her is based purely on first impressions. If I've incorrectly guessed her personality _too_ much then I'll come back and rewrite this chapter, but I feel relatively confident in my guess.

Her Quirk is also unknown to us at this point, so this is also estimation on my end.

The Hero Killer Arc was a bit of tricky thing with this OC. Because frankly if Kiyomi was there she would simply immediately teleport to Nemuri and Aizawa and bring both of them to face Stain. The Stain fight was such a crucial point for Iida, and Izuku, that I didn't feel comfortable taking that away. I thought about having Stain simply carry around Magi Dust, thus forcing Kiyomi to run there and help, but that didn't make enough sense to me. Sorry for those who wanted Kiyomi in that fight.

 **Here's an AU for how it would have gone in a vain hope to satisfy:**

I teleported onto the scene, my eyes taking in the surrounding before I gasped.

As soon as I saw Stain, I immediately teleported to Nemuri, grabbed her then teleported her onto the scene. I did the same to Aizawa, Nezu, and Katsuki. This was all done in the course of thirty seconds.

Nemuri was the first to leap into the fray, tearing off part of her sleeve. Aizawa's Quirk immediately cancelled out Stain's hold on everyone else, so they all popped back up, ready to fight.

"Todoroki-kun please create a wall of ice behind and above us. Best not to let this fellow escape," Nezu hummed.

Shōto didn't even hesitate.

And while Stain put up an admirable fight he simply couldn't hold his breath long enough before succumbing to Nemuri's Quirk.

And that was the end of that.

 **No lessons learned. No acknowledgement towards Izuku. Too boring. And so Kiyomi's not involved with that arc.**

 **Answer:** My imagination.

 **Question:** If you could have a familiar, what would it be and what would you name it? What powers would it possess, and how would it help you?

Reviews are **love**!


	11. Attack of the Exams

**Welcome back to this feel-good story. I hope this chapter will fill you with fluff and sweetness.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to WattPearl on Wattpad for her muse-igniting fanart. Please check them out!**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

(Sorry for the long author's note at the bottom)

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I didn't learn about what had happened to my friends until the weekend after the internship.

When I returned from my patrol with Mirko and saw the message, I immediately called Izuku to see what was happening. When I was met with a voicemail, I called Shōto—since I knew he was in the same area as the location Izuku sent—but _also_ got voicemail. I called Ochaco next, and she confirmed that she had gotten the same message, but since she was a city away there wasn't anything she could do. We both promised to let the other know as soon as we knew what was going on.

Roughly an hour later Mirko started letting out a stream of curses about how Endeavour had stolen her mark: Hero Killer Stain.

I knew Shōto was with Endeavour for the internship, but I didn't think for an instant Endeavour would let Shōto near such a dangerous opponent.

Still, a sense of worry and unease started to eat at me and I was half-tempted to teleport straight to them. The only things that prevented me from doing so was 1.) Nezu would undoubtedly tell me if my friends were in danger and 2.) I was sure to get in trouble if I abruptly left my internship just to check on some friends. Given how much of a hassle this whole experience had turned out for me, I was anxious to simply be done with the whole ordeal and pass with exemplary marks.

(I refused to give Mirko the satisfaction of giving me anything less than perfect.)

So, I waited.

And waited.

 _And waited_.

Finally, when the internship was _done_ and I was home I finally, finally, **finally** got a call back from Izuku.

"What the heck was going on?" I demanded as soon as I answered, throwing my backpack on my bed and starting to pace around my bedroom. "Why haven't you called me back? Are you okay? What happened?"

"Ah—Ah—Sorry, Kiyo-chan! A lot of things happened, and, um, we had to sign a bunch of privacy contracts, and, um," Izuku stammered, clearly flustered under my onslaught of questions. "W-Well, we sort of ran into Stain—"

" _You what?_ " I half-screeched, feeling my heart momentarily stop. "I'm on my—"

"We're fine! Don't worry, please stay at home. You just got back from your internship, right? Please don't worry," Izuku hastily said, before he hesitated. He took a deep breath and started to explain what had happened.

I unintentionally stopped him multiple times with my startled squeaks of _oh my god_ and _what_.

When he was finished he apologized one final time.

"But you're all okay now?"

"Yeah, we're okay."

"You'll be at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Izu-chan—Izu-chan I'm so sorry I didn't come."

"Oh, don't worry about it—"

I fell silent at that, guilt still churning in my stomach. "Izu-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Please be safe, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise."

We said our goodbyes, and I sent a text to Shōto asking him to call me when he got a chance. I called Ochaco next and gave her the rundown on what happened. She, of course, was horrified to learn what had happened to our friends. She ended the conversation more quickly than usual so she could talk to Izuku herself.

Then I texted Katsuki to let him know what was going on.

He responded back with an ever so brief _**K.**_

Not that I expected much else. Katsuki wasn't one to display concern, and as long as everyone made it out okay he wouldn't dwell on it.

(Well he very well might be annoyed he missed out on such a fight, but he wasn't going to bother putting that in a text message.)

After a brief hesitation I texted back, _**Do you want to spar?**_

Katsuki: _**Okay.**_

After a quick change in clothes I teleported to Katsuki's room, unsurprised to find one of my oldest friends deeply involved in a fighting game.

I sat on Katsuki's bed, watching my emotional friend try to furiously defeat a level on his game. When he successfully vanquished the boss he let out a whoop, "EAT SHIT YOU BASTARD."

"You sure showed him," I said, kicking my legs out. "You ready to spar now?"

"Yeah, let me save."

With that taken care of, he hopped up and stretched out his arms, red eyes glancing over towards me. "Hey, Bubblegum."

"Hey, Bocchan."

"At the festival," Katsuki said, turning around, "you remember our fight?"

I gave a small shrug. "Bits and pieces."

Katsuki jerked his thumb towards his television. "I rewatched it. You were still standing when Midnight called it."

Once again I could only shrug. "I lost consciousness when I hit the ground. I don't have an answer for you."

He stared at me for another minute then snorted. "Fine. Let's go, Bubblegum."

I saluted, and stretched out my other hand for him to take.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **A few hours later…**

I sat down on the grass, out of breath and covered in sweat. Katsuki was leaning over his knees, panting heavily and dripping sweat. "How are you that damn flexible, Bubblegum?"

"Estrogen," I deadpanned, then groaned and leaned back. "I think you bruised my ribs."

"Feeling's mutual!" Katsuki snapped out before he fell back on his butt.

The two of us laid back in the grassy field we used for sparing, exhausted. There was a comfortable silence between the two of us; a shared thought of how damn tired we were.

It wasn't until our breathing evened out that Katsuki was the first to break the silence with, "I need a bath."

"I need a new stomach."

"I didn't kick you _that_ hard."

I turned my head towards him to give him a look of disbelief. He smirked cheekily for a moment before breaking out into a rare grin and chuckling. Then he winced. "Fuck my ribs. Fuck you for that kick."

"Maybe we shouldn't have done this when we have school tomorrow."

"You fucking think?"

"But, um… thanks. I needed this. I was anxious about—"

"Shut up," he grunted.

"Heh, you want to stay for dinner?"

"Hell no. Take me home."

I rolled over enough to grab his shoulder and teleported both of us to his bedroom where we laid on his floor for another minute. Once I had gathered enough strength, I reluctantly sat up, gave a tired salute, and headed home.

The first thing I did was strip out of my clothes and wash up. I threw in practically half the bag of epsom salt I had into the tub before getting in, whimpering the whole way through.

Of course that's when Shōto chose to call me back.

I picked up with a grumpy, "Hello?"

"Hi. Sorry, my father kept me very busy," Shōto immediately apologized. "I didn't expect it'd take an entire day to get through all the paperwork, though. I'm sorry for any worry."

"It's fine, it couldn't be helped. Izu-chan told me what happened."

"Oh."

" _Oh_?"

"I—I'm glad Izuku-kun got ahold of you. Are you okay?"

" _I'm_ fine," I said firmly. "Are _you_?"

"I'm fine. I didn't really get hurt.""

"Swear?"

"I promise."

"Okay. I guess I won't kick your butt _too_ bad for making me worry, then," I allowed.

"My butt appreciates that."

The fact that he said it with such a serious tone made me snort out a reluctant giggle.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your evening," Shōto said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The day returning to school after the internship was one met with discomfort. Ignoring the fact that my internship was less than _fun_ —not that I expected it to be fun going in, but I wasn't prepared for my mentor's brash, clumsy, and rude nature—my friends had been placed in serious life-threatening situations.

When I came into class I fully expected them to be treated with quiet respect, and for my fellow classmates to refrain from asking about what was surely a scary experience.

 _That did not happen_.

Almost immediately they were bombarded by overly excited teenagers with no sense of tact. As Izuku and Shōto squirmed (not that it was easy to tell with Shōto due to his naturally stoic expressions) with discomfort under the invasion of privacy, I felt a part of me snap.

" _Enough_ ," I barked out, uncharacteristically sharp. The order seemed to stun my classmates into silence and I continued, "Get back to your seats, and stay quiet. What they went through isn't something to be admired about and _they_ should be the ones to talk about _if they want_. You _never_ harass someone about a terrifying experience, and so help me if I see you doing so again I'll have you sent straight to the counselor's office so _they_ can explain common decency. Something I would have _thought_ to be obvious enough to supposed heroes."

My—admittedly venomous—words drilled a feeling of shame into each student that had gathered around the victims. There were quiet murmurs of apologies as everyone returned to their seats.

I watched them with narrowed eyes before huffing and pulling out my notebooks from my bag and placing them on my desk. Izuku turned back and gave me a pained smile. "Thanks."

I smiled reassuringly in return. "Don't mention it. This is the kind of thing a class rep does, right? And besides, you guys are my friends."

Ochaco nodded beside me. "Yeah. It must have been really scary. You don't have to talk about it, but if you do I'm here for both of you."

Shōto and Izuku said a quiet thank you at that, but I got the strong feeling neither of them would be taking her up on that offer. Not that I blamed them. Talking about something like that had to be hard.

How did one begin to describe the feeling of _fearing for your life?_ Or maybe _fearing for your friends' lives?_

It was something everyone in this class would likely have to feel one day. I would have thought they understood a little about it from the villain attack earlier in the semester, but their treatment of Izuku and Shōto spoke otherwise.

' _It might be a good idea to have a counselor talk to the class anyway about this kind of stuff. I'd hate to see one of them unintentionally harass a trauma victim._ '

But those thoughts would have to wait since Aizawa entered the classroom and it was time for classes to begin again.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Since classes were short that day, Ochaco and I headed to the café afterwards. To be honest my shift actually went by in a blur and before I knew it, it was time for my fifteen minute break.

The day really seemed to have slipped away from me. Some days were like that, it could feel like in a blink of an eye, an entire day had passed by and I only had a vague recollection to go back on.

It had been a pretty busy semester, though, so it was understandable how time flew by. From the entrance exams, to the villain invasion, midterms, Sports Festival, and recently the internship… U.A.'s schedule was certainly filled with events.

It was getting hard to believe that in a month the first semester would be over and it would be time for summer vacation.

For the past couple of weeks everyone in town had been preparing for summer: fixing up fences, repairing roads, tilling the soil, planting the first crops, and so on. Between that, school, and work, it really did seem like all of my free time was eaten up.

Which was simultaneously a good thing and a bad thing. On the bright side it made time fly by, and it was wonderful to feel productive. On the bad side it meant I've had to seriously cut back on my training. Before attending U.A. I had been able to squeeze three to four hours of dedicated training every day, on top of regular spars. Now it felt like I could barely squeeze a couple spars in a week and it was difficult to do my morning katas and yoga before class. More than once I had to miss a day and work twice as hard over the weekend to make up for it.

' _I hope next semester will be better,_ ' I thought to myself. ' _No, what am I saying? It's my own fault. I need to manage my time better. I can't miss school, farm, or training sessions. Maybe I can cut back on my hours at work? But I need the money. Ugh. I'll talk with Nezu over summer, he's always so organized. He might have some ideas for me._ '

' _Speaking of Nezu… should I talk to him about having the students see a counselor?_ '

The question was tricky. It might annoy some of the students, but the fact of the matter was that they should've treated their classmates with respect and privacy—not demanding a detailed explanation of what had to be a very bad experience.

They could get away with it a bit more since the victims in question were training to be heroes—undoubtedly they would have to go through a lot more scary experiences—but what if they did that to someone who _wasn't_ prepared? What if their tactless aggression of questions triggered a flashback, or an anxiety attack? Heroes were meant to calm and reassure, never to harm.

' _But they're still children. Children will act like children._ '

They're training to be heroes. They lost the right to be children—

(They are _not_ soldiers.)

(They are _**not**_ you.)

I closed my eyes and let out a soft sigh. ' _One more chance. If something like this happens again, heaven forbid, and they act out again I'll have everyone talk to a counselor. They'd have to do so anyway coming into second year._ '

Flipping open my phone I checked my messages. When I came across Shōto's name I couldn't resist texting him.

 _ **I'm getting off in a couple hours,**_ I texted Shōto. _**Do you want to hang out?**_

 _ **I can't. I'm visiting my mom today.**_

 _ **Okay. Give her my best.**_

 _ **I will.**_

I closed my phone, taking another sip of my soda and relaxing on my break. Ochaco popped her head into the break room briefly, a big smile on her face. "Guess who got the results of her scholarship exam!"

Judging by her big beaming smile, I concluded the results were good. With a grin, I hopped up from my seat and rushed over to her. "Well done! Congratulations! How about we go out and celebrate, my treat?"

"Okay!" Ochaco crowed, preening under my praise. I gave her a brief hug, and kissed the top of her head. She was positively glowing. "I want BBQ."

"Then BBQ is what we'll get," I promised her. "I'll text Izu-chan."

"Oh—and can you invite Iida-kun?" Ochaco asked. "Um, he hasn't really been out much since his brother was… you know."

"Sure thing," I said, pulling my phone back out. I hadn't talked much to Tenya outside of class—not because I didn't want to, but the fella was always so busy I felt awkward interrupting. He still sat with us at lunch, but I didn't always eat lunch with everyone.

I texted Izuku first: _**Ocha-chan won her scholarship for next semester, we're going out to celebrate. Want in?**_

 _ **I'd love to!**_ Izuku responded immediately, along with a gif of a big smiley.

Then Tenya: _**Hi, Tenya-kun! Ocha-chan won her scholarship for next semester, so Izu-chan, Ocha-chan, and I are going out to celebrate. We would love it if you came with us.**_

Tenya responded quickly: _**I'd be honored to celebrate Uraraka's success, thank you for inviting me!**_

I looked up nearby BBQ places before finding one with decent reviews. I texted the time and destination to everyone before giving Ochaco a thumbs up and heading back to work.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

After work, Ochaco and I changed out of our uniforms and back into our school uniforms. Since it was a school night, Ochaco and I didn't get off work until late—it was pretty dark outside, so all the streetlights were on. The two of us hadn't had much of a chance to eat dinner, we were starved. We took a relaxing walk towards the hot plate BBQ a few blocks away from the café. By the time we got there, Tenya and Izuku were already waiting for us at a table.

There were balloons with the words CONGRATULATIONS and WELL DONE written on them.

It made Ochaco blush, and she covered her face with her hands. "You guys!"

"Congratulations, Uraraka-san," Tenya exclaimed, grinning.

Izuku clapped. "Yeah, great job. Come on and sit down, you two. Dinner's on us."

Ochaco and I took a seat, the adorable girl still blushing under the praise and attention. She wore a pretty smile, scratching her right cheek absently. "Thanks everyone. I really couldn't have done it without your support."

"Don't sell yourself so short," I said, smiling at her. "You've earned it."

"Now that you have the scholarship, what do you have to do to keep it?" Tenya inquired. "I was not aware U.A. provided scholarships."

"It's not advertised, but if you ask a teacher they'll be able to provide details," I answered. "With a scholarship, though, you _have_ to stay within the top five percent grade-wise."

Ochaco winced. "Urk. The exams will be coming up, won't they? I'm barely maintaining my average as it is."

"The scholarship won't come into effect until after summer vacation, though, right?" Izuku asked, taking a sip of his soda. "So you won't have to worry too much about this exam."

Tenya shook his head. "Don't be so sure. If her average drops too much it may be impossible to pull it up in time. Plus, you probably have to have that average at the _start_ of the term, right?"

Ochaco nodded.

"Don't worry, Ocha-chan," I reassured her. "I'll help you study for the exam."

Ochaco's eyes gleamed and she took my hands in her own. "Ahh! Thank you, Kiyo-chan."

"In fact, why don't we start a little study group?" I asked, looking over at the other two seated at the table. "We can rent out a room in the U.A. library, or y'all can come over to my place."

Izuku's face beamed. "Ooo, will Baba make more of those cookies?"

"Cookies?" Ochaco asked, instantly intrigued.

"Baba makes the _best_ sugar cookies," I explained. "Ah, and other healthy snacks, too."

"I think a study group would be a good idea," Tenya said. "The more people we have, the better off we'll be. If someone doesn't know something, odds are someone else will be able to explain it."

I clapped my hands together. "Then why don't you all come over this Sunday, and next Sunday before the exams? Ocha-chan, if you want to take the train out Saturday you can spend the night. Ah, Tenya-kun, I live pretty far out, will you be okay to come over?"

I gave him my address and Tenya's eyes momentarily widened. "Wow. No wonder you teleport to class every morning. So you must have a provisional license to use your Quirk?"

"Yeah, I got it when I was ten," I said. "Just the transportation one, I don't have a hero license or anything like that."

Tenya gave a brisk nod. "I will be able to make it. What time should we meet?"

"How about nine?" Izuku guessed, looking over at me. "That's about when you're done with farm work, right?"

"Yeah, that'd be perfect."

Ochaco raised her hand into a fist. "Then it's settled! Kiyo-chan, I'll come out on Saturday and spend the night, okay? I expect lots of sugar cookies."

I saluted her. "Yes ma'am!"

"Then this Sunday we'll study," Tenya concluded.

And with timing that could not have been planned better, our waiter arrived.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Saturday at around ten Ochaco hopped off her train to find me and Papa waiting for her. She waved at us, a big smile on her face. Thankfully a train stop wasn't far away from our town, so Papa and I could head out there in the truck (which we borrowed from Uncle Takashi) to pick Ochaco up. She headed over to us, swinging a bag over her shoulder. "Hiya!"

"Hello there Ochaco-chan," Papa greeted, "you can call me Dan, Papa, Uncle, or Old Man."

"Oh, ah, Dan-san, then?" Ochaco tried out with a shy smile. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Papa returned. "Why don't you hop in the back with Kiyo-chan. It'll be a bumpy ride, so hold tight."

Ochaco and I climbed in the bed of the truck, while Papa hopped in the front and started the truck. As we took off, I asked Ochaco, "How was the trip down?"

"Not bad. I fell asleep," Ochaco said, rubbing the back of her head. "Ah, I can't wait for your wand to get used to me so you can teleport me around."

"It shouldn't be too much longer, I think. My wand really likes ya," I said. "Maybe next term."

"That's awesome! Oh, wow, so this is where you live?"

"This is the town," I confirmed. "The farm's a bit further out I'm afraid."

Ochaco looked around the heavily forested area. The town was more trees than buildings, and none of the roads were paved. There was an abundance of flowers around, though, and as we passed by people they waved at us. Ochaco watched everything with wide eyes. When we finally reached the farm she let out a quiet gasp. "Wow. This is kind of like in all those movies, isn't it?"

I looked over at the farm, wondering what she was talking about.

It was an average farmhouse. Two stories, all wood and stone. There was a big front porch with a swing, and many flower pots scattered about. You couldn't see much of the actual fields or garden when facing the front of the house, but you could see the stretching wooden fence on either side of the house. It was painted white with pastel colored shutters.

I thought it looked nice. We all worked hard to maintain the yard and building, half-expecting visitors every hour.

"You think?" I settled on, climbing out of the truck.

"Yeah, it's a bit romantic," Ochaco confirmed.

' _Romantic? How?_ '

"Alright, girls I'm going to give this back to that annoying brat," Papa told us. "Head on in."

"Okay, Papa," I said, motioning for Ochaco to follow me. "Are you hungry? You said you didn't eat on the train."

"Starved," Ochaco confirmed, the two of us walking up the front porch steps. I opened the front door, unsurprised to find the smell of bacon and eggs assault my nose. Ochaco's stomach immediately growled, and the two of us laughed at that.

"Ah, is that you Kiyo-chan?" Baba called out from the kitchen. She came out a few moments later, wiping her hands on her apron and beaming. "Oh, hello, Ochaco-chan! You can call me Baba."

"O-Oh, hello Baba. It's very nice to meet you." Ochaco gave a short bow.

' _Is Baba like in the movies, too?_ ' I wondered, looking over at my dear grandmother. She was a small woman, barely 4'10" (1.47 M). Her silver hair (which was once bubble gum pink like mine) was pulled up into a messy bun. She didn't wear makeup, except for the occasional chapstick. Despite being small in stature, she had quite the biceps. She was every bit as muscular as Papa—something that came with working on a farm—and had wide, calloused hands.

I got my red eyes from Papa—and my mother, I supposed—which _usually_ meant I got Papa's—or _mother's_ —Quirk.

Not that I tested it out to confirm, of course.

Baba's eyes were a pale shade of gray, and almost always filled with a gentle warmth.

Unless she was mad.

Then there was a fiery anger in them that Papa and I learned to run from.

As Ochaco straightened out, Baba waved her off. "Ah, such a polite girl. Come in, you must be hungry. I have breakfast ready, so please don't hold back."

"I never turn down free food," Ochaco declared with another one of her pretty smiles.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The day was pleasant. I showed her around the farm, and we had burgers for dinner. The two of us stayed up a little later than normal to binge watch some movies before we went to bed. I warned her I would be getting up before her since I had to work the farm, and she offered to help.

"Don't be silly. It's your first night here. Just enjoy being a guest, okay?" I told her, handing her another blanket. I had pulled out the extra bed mat that Shōto or Izuku used when they stayed over. Ochaco, dressed in her cutesy PJs, was sitting on it crisscross. She accepted the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders.

She pouted. "But I'd feel bad if I slept while you were working hard."

"You need to save your energy for studying," I told her. "The exams are only in a couple of weeks, you know?"

"Ah! I know, I know."

Ochaco gave a sigh before she flopped backwards on the bed.

I crawled into my own bed, pulling up the covers. "Get some sleep, Ocha-chan."

"Okay, okay. Nighty night, Kiyo-chan."

"Sweet dreams, Ocha-chan."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The following morning I snuck out of my bedroom to do the farm chores, and help with breakfast. By the time everything was said and done Ochaco stumbled out of the room, bleary-eyed and hungry for bacon.

After breakfast we got cleaned up. While Ochaco headed out to the train station with Papa to pick up Tenya, I teleported Izuku and Shōto over. When everyone had arrived it was time to study.

The five of us took a seat at a table Baba brought out in the living room. In addition to Baba's sugar cookies, Papa had made us some spring rolls with a homemade dip. The table was filled with textbooks and workbooks, and the five us worked diligently with minimal conversation. Occasionally we would get off topic, but for the most part it was a very productive study session. We took a break for a late lunch—and we ate watermelon on the porch—but got right back into it afterwards.

Tenya and Ochaco were the first to head out, since they had to take the train back home. Shōto, Izuku, and I saw them off before we returned for a delicious dinner.

Once dinner was done Izuku gave a big yawn, stretching out. "Oh boy. I could eat your Papa and Baba's cooking my whole life, Kiyo-chan."

Shōto nodded in agreement, leaning back on the couch.

"Ya'll want to spend the night?" I offered. "I can take you home in the morning before school."

"Ah, I'd get a chance to eat Baba's breakfast, huh?" Izuku murmured, half to himself. "I'll take you up on that offer."

"Me, too," Shōto said.

"Okey dokey. Did you guys finish your homework?"

"Yeah," they both said before glancing over at one another.

Izuku sported a big grin. "Do you guys want to go for a walk?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Shōto said.

"Yeah. Let's head up the mountain."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Grass crunched under our shoes, soft and springy. This spring had been good for us so far, with plenty of light rainfall to keep the wilderness lush and full of life (not to mention saving us a penny on watering our plants). The cool night air tasted of trees and running water. The three of us had left the designated path a while ago, meandering further up the mountain on our own. The path didn't make it too far up, since not a lot of people trekked up here.

It was good for training, though. Walking on an uneven path for so long, and semi-frequently made for good coordination and balance. Coupled with the trek being uphill, occasionally forcing us to literally climb up a rock sheet, it was good exercise.

Not that we were doing this for training specifically, mind you.

Izuku enjoyed it for the feeling of accomplishment when he reached the top. Every time he wanted to go camping, he demanded we camp at the highest spot we could climb to. When he reached the top, no matter how long it took us, he wore this brilliant victorious grin and a gleam took to his eyes.

Shōto on the other hand enjoyed the journey more than the end. He liked the solitude found in the wilderness, and he appreciated the white noise it could create. The forest was hardly ever silent (unless in winter), but he took comfort in the peaceful song it created.

On walks like these we didn't typically talk.

We didn't need to fill the silence with idle chatter.

We walked beside one another, quietly conquering the mountain once again. We took turns holding the flashlight, and a couple times we stopped to appreciate a rare find (such as a couple of does grazing lazily away from us, or some playful foxes chirping at us). We walked on into the night, steadily climbing the mountain until we reached the familiar tree we had marked long ago as the top of the mountain.

Izuku walked over to it, reaching out a hand and placing it on the large base of the tree. We had painted over the bark a few years ago to use it as a marker. "Wow. I can't believe I used to be exhausted when I reached this point."

I looked over at my friend, noticing he only had a thin line of sweat over his forehead. "Heh. You've come a long way, little Izu-chan."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looking over at Shōto. "How about you, Shōto-kun?"

"Mn. I was the same way," Shōto said, shining the flashlight on the mark. "Ah, we should probably head back, though, since we have school tomorrow."

"Yeah it's already ten, and we still gotta take a bath."

"I can hose you down out back," I offered teasingly.

"Yeah, no," Izuku said.

I giggled, holding out my hands towards my friends. They each took a hand and I teleported them back home. Baba and Papa were, unsurprisingly, already asleep.

"You can have the first one, Izuku-kun," Shōto offered, gesturing towards the guest bathroom.

"Ah, thanks, Todoroki-kun."

"Then I'll head off to my own. Y'all know where the extra clothes and towels are," I said, waving my hand and heading off towards my private bathroom.

All in all it was a lovely weekend.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next week was largely the same, with the exception of Aizawa announcing that the exams were the following week at the end of class.

He ended that with a dry, "You all are studying properly, right? I'm sure you already know but it won't only be a written exam. There's also a practical component. Make sure to train your minds and bodies at the same time." He gathered up his papers and walked out of the classroom. "That's all."

As soon as he left there were two shouts of horror, namely from Mina ( **Rank 19** ) and Denki ( **Rank 20** ). "I HAVEN'T STUDIED AT ALL."

While Mina laughed it off, Denki clutched at his head and cried out bitterly, "With the sports festival and internship I didn't study at all."

Fumikage ( **Rank 14** ) quietly agreed, "It's true that we had one event after another, but…"

"Th-Th-The previous exams d-didn't cover m-much s-since it was early," Koji ( **Rank 13** ) shyly added

"It'll be tough since there's a practical exam, too," Mineta added, a smug look on his face ( **Rank 11** ).

" _You scored 11th?_ " Mina and Denki cried out in disbelief.

"Guys like you are only likable when you're dumb. Where's the demand for this?"

"The world, I guess," Mineta toted.

"Ashido-san, Kaminari-san! Let's all do our best. We want to all go to the training camp over the summer, right?" Izuku tried to cheer them up ( **Rank 5** ).

"Yes!" Tenya ( **Rank 3** ) added, "As a class rep I also have high hopes that you'll all be moved to action!"

"It's pretty hard to fail if you just pay attention in class," Shōto ( **Rank 6** ) muttered.

"Good luck," I ( **Rank 1** ) added with a smile.

Denki fell to his knees, clutching at his chest. "Be careful with your words."

"You two, I may be able to be of assistance with the class lectures," Momo ( **Rank 2** ) offered with her usual gentle smile.

"Yao-momo!" Mina and Denki cheered.

"I can't help with the practical at all, though," Momo muttered dejectedly to herself.

Kyōka ( **Rank 9** ) approached the trio-as Mina and Denki had rushed over to Momo's desk. "I'm not one of those two, but can I join, too? I'm having some trouble with quadratic functions."

Hanta ( **Rank 17** ) clapped his hands together over his head in a mock-praying fashion. "Sorry, me too! How are you with classical Japanese?

Mashirao ( **Rank 10** ) approached them the group next. "I'd like to join, too. There's a bunch of stuff I don't get."

"Please," the group added.

Momo's face brightened like the dawn after a stormy night. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and her cheeks tinted red. "E-Everyone!" She stood up from her desk with joyous energy. "Yes, of course. Then, let us hold a study session at my residence this weekend."

"Seriously?" Mina excitedly hopped over. "I can't wait to see your house."

"Oh, in that case, I must tell Mother and have her open up the hall." Momo was giddy with excitement, she was bouncing in place. "What kind of tea are you all partial to? In my family we always drink Harrod's or Wedgewood, so if you have any preference, let me know. Of course, you can trust me to help you study, too! I will definitely show you how I can help."

The group that had gathered by Momo's desk seemed at first taken aback by her words, but soon they were all swept up by how adorable she was.

Denki said, "What was that? Harry's? That's fine."

"Harrod's, right?!" Momo excitedly exclaimed.

While that was going on Eijirō ( **Rank 16** ) looked over at Katsuki with a sly grin. "Look at the difference in virtue."

" _I can do it, too_ ," Katsuki ( **Rank 4** ) snarled. "Want me to beat it into you?"

"Yeah, thanks!"

Yuga ( **Rank 18** ) laughed on the other side of the classroom. "Everyone's panicking now, even though it won't do any good to cram this late in the game."

Mezo ( **Rank 12** ) gave him a brief glance. "Shouldn't you be panicking now?"

"What are you talking about?" Yuga inquired, his face perfectly serious.

"Well, I'm glad we have a study group going," Ochaco ( **Rank 7** ) said, looking over at me. "I'm actually feeling really good about the upcoming exam. It can't be that much harder than the scholarship, right?"

"The scholarship should have been way harder since it tests with third-year stuff too," I reassured her, patting her arm. "You'll do great, Ocha-chan."

She beamed at that.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The following week and the written exams went by rapidly. I found Ochaco frequently studying during her breaks at work, and she came over again on Saturday for even more studying. By the time the written portion came around we both had faith she'd score in the top five.

And then came the practical exam.

As it would turn out we would be partnered with another classmate and then have to either escape, or capture, a teacher inside a simulated zone.

Finding out that I was to be facing off against Cactus-sensei himself wasn't surprising. Being partnered with Momo, however, was. Since we were the top two students I would have thought they'd spread out the partnership to make it a little more fair and balanced for each team.

Oh well. It meant an easy victory for us.

Momo gave me a pained smile—which was odd, as I would have thought she'd be happy to be partnered with me rather than Mineta at least—but I let it slide for the moment. Since we were one of the first teams up and our zone was a good fifteen minute drive away, we were shuffled off to a bus within minutes.

"Momo-chan?" I inquired, taking a seat beside her on the bus and smiling. "Would you like to go over some plans?"

Momo looked up at me in surprise, then looked down, fiddling with her fingers. "Oh, yes. That'd be a good idea, wouldn't it?"

"Momo-chan?" I inquired, peering at the oddly subdued girl. "Are you okay?"

"I—um, yes," Momo answered quietly.

"You don't seem okay," I observed. "Are you nervous?"

"N-No. I—" Momo's brow furrowed and she bit hard on her bottom lip. "It's nothing, Kiyo-chan."

"I can clearly see it's _something_ ," I said, starting to feel worried. It was one thing to be nervous, or anxious, but something seemed to really be bothering her. I may not have been as close to her as I was to Ochaco, but she was still my classmate and a genuinely sweet girl. I hated to see such a kind soul upset. "Momo-chan, you can talk to me. If it's something I can help with at all—"

Momo shook her head. "I—" She fell silent again.

Definitely worried, I moved to sit directly beside her and pulled her into a tight hug. I rubbed her back in a soothing manner like Baba would do for me when I was upset. "It's going to be okay, Momo-chan. Whatever is bothering you we can get through it."

I felt Momo tremble briefly, and she rested her forehead on my shoulder. "Th-Thank you, Kiyo-chan... I'm sorry, I know I should be better composed for our exam, but—"

"Hey, it'll be okay," I soothed, patting her back. "It's only an exam, and you can't control how you feel. If something's bothering you—"

Momo let out a soft sigh, pulling back.

"Despite coming in from a recommendation I haven't done anything that stands out," Momo whispered, her voice barely audible on the bus. "During the cavalry battle, I just did what Todoroki-kun said, and in my own fight I lost before I could do anything against you. Compared to _you_ , I—"

I stared at her in disbelief. "You're—you're upset because—because you didn't win the Sports Festival? Momo-chan, you're number two in the entire class! And it's a little unfair to compare yourself to me when—when—I mean how often have you _ever_ sparred before?"

Momo looked at me in surprise. "Sparred? Oh, um—I suppose I remember doing so a few times."

"See I fight Bocchan, Sho-chan, and even Izu-chan _at least_ once a week every week, and I've been doing that since I was, like, ten," I said. "You can't compare yourself to me like _that._ Wait until you have the same amount of experience, at least, and by that point I bet you'd be more than capable of kicking my butt."

"But—"

"Momo-chan, you're a _wonderful_ student. You _absolutely_ deserve that recommendation. You're intelligent, thoughtful—"

"But I always _lose_."

"You're still a _student_. You're still a beginner. You're still learning. Being upset over your lack of—lack of experience is like being upset the sky is blue. You're going to get better Momo-chan. You're going to advance and improve and go to heights other people could only dream of. You're going to be a Top Ten Hero without a doubt."

Momo's eyes widened, her expression incredulous. "How can you say that, Kiyo-chan?"

"Because I know you're going to be a great hero. You think I started off like this? I worked for _years_ to be able to do what I do. I still have to train in my free time as often as I can to maintain my skill. All you need is experience and time. Compare yourself now to a year ago Momo-chan, wouldn't you say you've improved a lot?"

Momo fell silent, her brow furrowing as she considered my words. "I-I suppose."

"How about you from five years ago?"

"Oh! Definitely."

"Good! Imagine how great you'll be five years from now, and then imagine ten years from now. Do you really think you'll still be the same way you are now?"

Momo shook her head, a small smile starting to appear on her face. "No."

I gave a firm nod. "Good. And to be honest, I think you're pretty swell right now. You _are_ number two in the entire class after all; that's not an easy feat."

Momo's smile stretched into an adorable grin. "You think?"

"Definitely! Remember how everyone asked for your help? We all know you're great, Momo-chan. You gotta believe us, and you gotta believe _you_."

Momo didn't speak for a couple of minutes, but she had a sweet smile on her face. "Thank you, Kiyo-chan. I feel a lot better."

I patted the back of her hand. "I'm always happy to help. I can't _not_ help such a cute girl, after all."

That made Momo giggle and I knew she would be okay.

I gave her a thumbs up. "We got this, easy peezy."

She wiped furiously at her eyes, holding back a sniffle. "Y-Yes. Let's do this!"

The bus rolled to a stop and it was time to head off.

As Momo and I entered the testing area—we were taken to the center—we quietly discussed our plan. We both decided that trying to straight up fight or capture Aizawa would be ill advised. Momo and I had never worked together as a team, so purposefully looking for a fight would put us at a disadvantage. Maybe if I was working with Izuku, Katsuki, or Shōto it would be a viable plan but not in these circumstances.

We did have an advantage of knowing how Aizawa's quirk worked, however, and with that in mind we were able to come up with a plan.

To begin with I, of course, tested my ability to teleport. Unsurprisingly it felt like I was slamming against a brick wall when doing so, and thusly concluded that Magi Dust was scattered around the testing grounds.

That felt like a bit of a cop out since I doubted that every single villain would be carrying around Magi Dust—it was _ridiculously_ expensive—but I understood it was important not to become too reliant on my teleportation.

I summoned a bubble and flattened it out into a bubblegum pink disc. Momo and I both hopped onto it and I began to fly just barely above the rooftops. It was easy to spot the exit sign from that height, and thusly I began to steer us towards it.

Of course Aizawa was probably expecting something like that, so within two minutes of flying towards the exit my bubble vanished as he erased my Quirk.

Momo and I fell onto a rooftop and a grin lit up Momo's face as soon as she spotted Aizawa running towards us.

From her pack she pulled out two smoke bombs she had made. She threw both of them down onto the rooftop and as soon as Aizawa lost vision of me I formed my bubble once again and off we went.

If Aizawa didn't have a handicap he would have most definitely caught up to us well before then. I could move my bubble pretty fast but certainly no faster than a moped. Of course as soon as Aizawa spotted us he cancelled my Quirk and the process repeated itself.

It was lackluster, anticlimactic, and most definitely boring to watch for spectators but that's how Momo and I made it past the gate and passed our exam.

If we had started the exam right beside Aizawa it would have been a different story. All he had to do was catch one of us and our plan would have had to have been seriously readjusted. However, we were put at an advantage with the distance provided between us, his handicap, and our foreknowledge of his Quirk.

As we passed by the gates I held up a hand and Momo gleefully high-fived me. "We did it."

"Of course we did," I said. "Did you really expect anything less?"

Momo briefly looked sheepish at that, but her smile returned soon enough. "No. I suppose not."

Momo and I waited for Aizawa to approach us. He gave us a curt nod and a quiet, "Well done."

Momo's face lit up like a sunrise and she turned around and hugged me in delight. I squeezed her once, and patted her back. "You did very well, Momo-chan."

"Thank you, Kiyo-chan."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Lyon, France**

" _Votre gâteau sablé aux fraises, mademoiselle_ ," a handsome young man said, gently placing a delicate looking strawberry cake in front of a customer.

The customer in question gave the boy a smile that would melt hearts. Everything about the woman radiated beauty, from her soft pale pink hair to her dark ruby eyes. The smile that curled her lips made the poor waiter weak in the knees.

" _Merci_ ," she whispered.

The waiter took his leave then, and the woman casually looked across the street, watching a very young girl assist her mother at a coffee shop.

The woman took a bite of her strawberry shortcake and licked her lips.

She would watch her targets for a while longer, she decided. What she was planning to do was dangerous and required extreme caution. It was an unspoken rule amongst her kind not to go for another's family, but a contract was a contract.

Still, the woman felt unusually hesitant. While the danger was enough to make anyone back off, that wasn't what bothered her.

" _Viens ici, Viola,_ " the mother told her daughter. " _Ne quitte pas ma vue_."

The daughter rushed over, apologetic for straying too far from her mother's side.

The woman watched them for a little longer.

' _A contract is a contract_ ,' she thought to herself. It didn't matter who her target was, such things had never bothered her before—and indeed the actual deed that had to be done didn't disturb her.

No, what made her hesitate was a single uncomfortable memory.

The memory of saying goodbye to her only daughter, and wondering whatever became of her.

She took another bite of her strawberry shortcake.

' _What are you doing now, Kiyomi?_ '

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

To address some previous concerns and confirm story canon:

 **I've spaced out the timeline a bit.**

The canonical story moves _fast_. Which is fantastic when you're watching it as anime, or reading it as a manga but it doesn't smoothly transition into novel-style. Especially since this story is largely told through one person's perspective. So, in my power as an authoress I have decided to add a bit more breathing room between each event. Because I enjoy writing out fwuffy fwuff and relationship development, and I need that breathing room to do so.

 **Shōto won against Katsuki by using his flames.**

In my story Izuku's speech made a direct comparison with someone Shōto greatly respects, Kiyomi. This speech and comparison was enough to move Shōto to stay motivated to continue to give it his all for this competition. I believe I've explained enough of their friendship to justify Shōto's great respect for her, and the fact that he wants to stand as her equal. He wants to be a hero.

(And while this story is OC-centric and thusly did not follow him afterwards he _did_ still see his mother because she will always play a powerful role in his life.)

 **Katsuki is not as aggressive in canon in this story due to Kiyomi.**

Katsuki, in my personal opinion, is not someone who is mentally unstable, nor has a mental illness that prevents him from controlling his anger. I see Katsuki as a very passionate, and emotional young boy who did not have a constructive outlet for his anger and ego. He repeatedly scored above the best, and never dealt with anyone who really went against him. Even Izuku didn't stand up to Katsuki much, or deny him. Katsuki did not even have proper friends (I am not counting Izuku because Katsuki did not acknowledge Izuku as his friend until much, much later). I would likely guess that a lot of people were cowed by his anger.

Kiyomi offered something Katsuki sorely needed: a productive way to get rid of some his anger through sparing.

In my personal experience those with temper issues, or who struggle with powerful anger have an easier time controlling it if they have a consistent outlet for their anger. I had anger issues in high school, and jujitsu provided a great way for me to release that anger in a safe environment. Going off _my_ personal experience, I feel like Katsuki would be much happier (and healthier) if he had a similar outlet.

He's still an adorable ball of rage, but his anger isn't as over the top in the anime as it is in my story due to this.

 **All first year students at U.A. are 15-16, including Kiyomi.**

She was 11 when she first met Aizawa Aizawa, so she's known him for a little over four years. Same for Nemuri and Nezu.

 **I had to have Kiyo partnered with Momo 'cuz…**

Kiyo had to face off against either Nezu, Aizawa, or Nemuri. Nezu was out since he had to be fighting against the less-intelligent students, so it was a toss up between Aizawa or Nemuri. I was originally going to use Nemuri and partner Kiyo with grape juice boy, but I didn't like how the scenes came out. For the purpose of better writing I went with Aizawa, and decided to use Momo 'cause I personally think that Momo's fight has valuable life experience for everyone involved. Shouto's encouraging speech and her own struggle with self-confidence is endearing. I really wanted to keep that in this story. I switched up _who_ was giving the speech, but the lesson is still important.

Think about yourself from five years ago and compare to now. Think about how even better you're going to be in another five years. That's something I want all of you to keep in mind. :)

As much as I wanted a completely epic fight between Aizawa VS Momo and Kiyomi my logical side won out. Once I thought of that strategy it was hard to think of ways for Aizawa to combat it given the canonical scenario. Plus as they stated after the exams "they purposefully left out ways for the students to win."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Answer:** I'd want a cat that looked like Cheshire, but wore a witch's hat and a cape. He'd help me make potions, as he'd be able to teleport the two of us to anywhere in all of the multiverses to collect herbs. He'd also be a skilled illusionist.

 **Question:** If you were reborn into the BNHA universe, who would you want to be your best friend? Who would you want to train under?

Reviews are **love**!

 **For those of you who have been having a rough time… I really hope this chapter brightens your day at least a little bit. And please remember that you are precious, loved, and valued.**

 **Take the day to treat yourself if you can, even if that means just getting yourself some ice cream or taking a long hot shower.**


	12. Test Your Courage

**Letting go is the hardest best choice you can make, but only** _ **you**_ **can make it.**

 **WARNINGS:** Violence, trauma, suicidal thoughts, gore, kidnapping, child-endangerment.

 **Beta:** **emplatinum**

 **I'm sorry. I can't resist writing dramatically flirty characters. It's my guilty pleasure.**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat on top of Ochaco's desk, watching the bubbly girl try to doodle her costume for the Halloween special several months away. Our manager was going to hand make costumes for us to wear and wanted all the girls to turn in their final design by the end of the weekend. Ochaco had gotten sidetracked by the exams and was thusly furiously trying to get her idea down on paper.

Shōto, who was watching her frantically draw, pointed at a certain part. "Are those scales?"

"No," Ochaco denied. "Wait, you think they look like scales?"

"Don't listen to him, sugar. He's the furthest thing from an artist you'll ever meet," I reassured her.

"I take offense to that," Shōto deadpanned.

"I take offense to you not letting me steal your food," I retorted.

"It's _my_ food."

"And as your best friend I have rights to that food," I argued. "I would give you my food."

"You absolutely would not," Shōto immediately rejected, calling out my lie.

I made an offended noise at that, looking back down at Ochaco's nearly hysterical drawing. "Sweetie, you're missing an arm."

Ochaco paused in her work, staring in disbelief before she let out a pitiful moan and slammed her head into her desk, letting it rest there. "I'm done. Finished. Defeated. This drawing has slain me."

"I can draw it for you, O-O—er—Uraraka-chan," Izuku shyly offered. "I drew Kiyo-chan's."

Ochaco lifted up her head and sniffled, hope returning to her eyes. "Really?"

"Sure, um, what are you wanting?"

"Make me her twin or something," Ochaco said dismissively. "I have no creativity."

"Make her my sexy twin. Put her in some stockings and—"

Ochaco's shriek of _no_ was delightful, along with Izuku's strawberry red face. Izuku stammered out, "How a-about j-just different c-colors?"

"Party pooper," I cooed while Ochaco nodded furiously in agreement with Izuku.

The door to the homeroom slammed open and Aizawa blandly stated, "Once the bell rings, get to your seats."

I hurried over to my seat, sweeping back my hair over my shoulders.

Aizawa entered the room with a muttered _morning_ and took a stand in front of the podium. "Unfortunately, there are those who did not pass the final exams. Accordingly, for the training camp in the woods: everyone's going."

Eijirō cried out, "We can go?!"

" _Really_?" Mina echoed, tears in her eyes.

"Yeah," Aizawa confirmed, his expression empty as a blank canvas. "Some failed, but no one failed the written exam. In the practical, Kaminari, Ashido, and Sero failed. For this time's exam we, on the villain side, made sure to leave a way for the students to win while watching to see how you all would take on the task at hand. If we hadn't, most of you would've gotten stuck before you started. In the first place, the training camp in the woods is one to increase strength. So those who failed need it the most. They have to get stronger. It was a rational falsehood."

Tenya stood up abruptly from his desk, passionately declaring, "However, since you lied to us twice, our faith in you will waver!"

"I still trust you, Cactus-sensei!" I immediately called out in mocking reassurance.

"You'd trust anyone who fed you a muffin, Kiyo-chan, so that doesn't say much," Aizawa retorted. "Iida-kun, I will keep what you said in mind. But, I wasn't lying about everything. Failure is failure. We have prepared a separate time for extra lessons for you all. Frankly, it'll be tougher than the extra lessons you'd get if you stayed at school."

There were clear looks of disappointment and resigned acceptance from the students that had failed. Aizawa's lips briefly twitched from that reaction, but the stoic teacher didn't smile in the end. Instead, he started up class, and the school day passed by like foam on waves.

At the end of classes, he passed out training camp guides and headed out. All the students started flipping through them before leaving, talking about how they didn't have a lot of the supplies listed.

I actually had a surprising amount of the requirements since I went camping semi-frequently.

There was a general consensus that everyone was going to have to buy _something_ so Toru cheerfully suggested, "Oh, then since we're off tomorrow and we just finished our exams, why not Class A all go shopping together?"

Denki beamed at that. "Oh, that's a great idea. Wouldn't that be the first time we all hang out together?"

Eijirō shouted out to Katsuki who was already heading out the door. "Oi, Bakugō, you're coming."

"Like I'd do something so irritating," Katsuki scoffed under his breath, shutting the door behind him.

"Ocha-chan and I have to work until two tomorrow, so can we meet up after that?" I questioned, looking over at my fellow maid.

"That should be good," Mina said, giving a thumbs up.

Within ten minutes we hammered out the details and headed off our separate ways.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The mall everyone decided to meet at was one of the more popular malls in the city. It was a massive stretch of shops that was partly outdoor and partly indoor, as a huge dome could be activated to cover the mall on bad weather days.

Since Ochaco and I had to work earlier that day we had changed into much comfier clothes than we might have normally worn to a gathering. We both put on denim shorts, and while she sported a shirt, I wore a blouse.

I had swept my hair up into a messy bun since it was a warm day and I didn't fancy having a sweaty neck.

The two of us arrived almost exactly on time with all of our classmates already present. I moved to stand beside Izuku and Ochaco followed behind me. After greeting everyone, we all came up with the plan to shop on our own for a while and meet back up in a couple hours.

Before I could even offer a suggested course on where to start, nearly the entire group had split off until it was only Izuku, Ochaco, and me.

The three of us stood around in surprise at how quickly our classmates had vanished.

"Uh," Izuku began, turning to Ochaco, "so what do you need first?"

Ochaco blinked once. "Bu—" Ochaco's face started to turn dark red. "Bug spray!" She turned on her heel and sprinted away from Izuku, her ears tinged pink.

The utter confusion and bewilderment on Izuku's face was delightfully adorable and I couldn't resist letting out a giggle.

"A-Am I a bug?" Izuku muttered partly to himself.

I reached over and grabbed my friend's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Most certainly not. I wouldn't worry about Ocha-chan, she's probably just… very excited."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "I guess? Where do you want to start?"

I turned my old worn down bubblegum pink backpack around and unzipped the front pocket. I pulled out a list Baba had made of things he asked me to get. Since I was already shopping I offered to go shopping for our groceries, or if anyone in town needed something from the city.

Izuku scooted closer to look over the list. "Oh, you're doing a big shop?"

"Yeah. I'd normally go tomorrow with Baba, but since we're already here today—"

"Well, I only really need some more clothes, since Mom keeps us pretty stocked up on the other outdoor supplies for our… _adventures_."

"Why do you say that word like you're sucking on a lemon?" I questioned innocently as Izuku's face remained screwed up.

He gave me a _look_.

Another giggle popped out of me. "Aw, are you still upset about being stranded at sea?"

"That, too. Mostly thinking about the bears."

"Who knew bears could run so fast?" I asked cheerfully. "I bet you never thought _you_ could run so fast with a broken pelvic bone."

With his free hand, Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head ruefully at me. "Come on. Let's start with your list, I think we'll be able to find the diffusers up top in the herbal shop." Izuku tugged on my hand, and we began to slowly walk towards the staircase. We went through about five shops before we reached a lingerie store that I had to get some stockings and plus sized bras for some of my sisters and aunties. Izuku immediately let go of my hand when I took a step towards it, his face red. "I-I'll actually wait for you out here."

"You'll have to come into one of these eventually," I argued. "Might as well come in with a friend who will be kind enough to… show you around."

His face darkened further, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing in glee at it. He spluttered, "You're awful. I-I'm going to g-get some pretzels or something."

"Okay, okay," I said, grinning widely. "I'll be done in five. I'll meet you at the pretzel stand."

Izuku jerkily nodded, clutching a couple of the shopping bags he was carrying as if trying to use them as a shield between him and the silky panties in the window. The image made me snort, and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing again.

With a fond shake of my head, I turned away from him and started to peruse the store. We could make a lot of our own clothes and adjust hand-me-downs—almost all of my clothes were handmade or hand-me-downs (or both)—but there were some things that were almost always best to buy. Like good bras, or undies.

(There were also a few more mature items privately requested by a handful of my older sisters who slipped me cash to cover them.)

It took me a solid fifteen minutes to track everything down and purchase them, and I walked out with five black bags, and a thought of: ' _What would happen if I made Izu-chan carry these around for me_?'

I bit down hard on my lip to keep from giggling deviously. Still, I couldn't stop the mischievous smirk from crawling its way on my face.

' _Oooh. I wonder what kind of face he'd make if I put a thong on his pillow tonight? Ah, I can already imagine the squeaky noises he'd make!_ '

' _Maybe I can ask Inko-chan to have a camera ready? Naw, she's too pure to help prank Izu-chan._ '

As I walked down to the nearest pretzel shop I glanced around the bustling mall. Since it was a Saturday there were a lo-ot of people there. Nearly every five seconds I was able to either spot a lovey-dovey couple, or an adorable family. It was sweet to see parents holding their children's hands as the tiny human looked at everything like it just came out of a fairy tale. Giggles, squeals, and shouts were the background noise that played for the mall, and smells of baked goods filled the air.

The pastry shop was near the pretzel shop, and the smell of those macaroons, cookies, and cakes was a powerful temptation.

' _Maybe I should buy some for Izuku since I teased him so much?_ ' My less mischievous side thought. ' _Or as a preemptive apology for pranking him later?_ '

I descended some tiled stairs, the pretzel shop in sight. I glanced around trying to catch sight of Izuku, but surprisingly I couldn't find him right away.

' _Did he go inside of the shop?_ ' I questioned, approaching the moderately busy shop. A quick peek inside confirmed he wasn't there, so I looked around in confusion. I saw almost all the benches and tables were occupied, so I reasoned Izuku might have moved further down to try and find a seat for us to relax and eat.

I passed by several shops before I finally spotted that familiar green-black hair and beamed—

(Uh-oh)

My entire body froze for a split second when I saw who was beside him with an arm slung around Izuku's shoulders and a hand over his neck.

In the next heartbeat, I was moving with a determined purpose, anger flaring inside the pit of my stomach with each step, along with genuine fear for my friend. Within the minute I stood before the two and I said in a low voice, "Remove yourself."

The man gave a disturbingly wide grin that showed cracked lips and a perturbed gaze in his red eyes. "Oh, so sorry. I didn't realize he had a friend."

He released his hold on Izuku and Izuku immediately clutched at his neck and started to cough, trying to catch his breath. The vile man stood up and started to walk around, and I—

Aizawa's previous words rung in my head: about how I prioritized capture over rescue.

Right now Izuku needed me.

That man would be taken care of one way or another.

So I turned my back on him and rushed over to Izuku, dropping my bags and rubbing his back. "Breathe with your belly, Izu-chan."

It took several seconds before he could catch his breath enough to stop coughing. "W-Wait. Shigaraki, Tomura—Was this—Was this for All for One?"

"Who knows," the tainted child mused. "But you should be careful. The next time we meet, I'll likely have decided to kill you."

As he whispered those final words he disappeared into the moving crowd, and I made no move to follow him. It would be incredibly risky to follow through without backup, and while Izuku was still recovering. For all I knew it was a ploy to get Izuku alone again.

So I stayed by his side, rubbing his back while he shakily pulled out his phone to call security, and then Cinnamon Roll.

Needless to say, we didn't finish shopping that day.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The final week of the semester I had to talk with the girls in the class.

"Ah, girls would you all mind gathering?" I asked on the last day of the semester, getting up from my seat and heading over towards Momo's spot where most of the girls sat.

I sat on Momo's desk as the other girls started to converge around us, all smiles and bright eyes.

"Nezu wanted me to tell ya'll that we can't go on any long-term trips over the summer," I said. "As class rep, I have to tell you all. Tenya-kun will tell the boys."

"Huh? Really?" Ochaco inquired, sounding genuinely surprised as she approached.

"That's too bad," Momo said, her expression downcast. "I was supposed to go to Venice with my parents."

"Aw!" Mina moaned. "I bought a new swimsuit, too."

Kyōka patted Mina's back. "It can't be helped. We were attacked by the League of Villains before."

"Even so, I wanna play! I wanna go somewhere!" Mina bemoaned dramatically.

"Then, do you wanna meet up at the school pool over summer vacation?" Toru chirped.

Everyone's faces lit up at that. Tsuyu said, "That's right. If we're using the school pool then I'm sure the teachers will give us permission."

"Good idea! Then we won't have to spend any money, either," Ochaco cheered.

Mina nodded enthusiastically. "It's better than being cooped up at home."

"It does sound like fun," I agreed with a smile.

"Then I'll go get permission from the school," Momo declared, standing up from her desk.

"I'll go with you!" I added, hopping off her desk.

"Why don't we all go?" Ochaco offered.

And thusly that's how we obtained permission to use the pool over summer. All that we had to do afterward was schedule a time, which was done within minutes.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The first week of summer vacation was spent doing a lo-ot of farm work around the town, and working at the cafe. I had to get as many hours in as I could since I wouldn't be able to work at all during the training camp.

The hours were long and more often than not I didn't get to crawl into bed until midnight before waking up at four and doing it all over again.

So when the second week rolled in and it was time for our scheduled relaxing time at the school pool, it was met with great relief. As soon as the clock hit one pm—the time we were all going to meet up in the locker rooms—I teleported directly there and greeted the girls who were already starting to get dressed in their school bathing suits.

Following suit, I slipped out of my clothes, folding them neatly in the process. I heard an astonished gasp from Ochaco beside me. "Kiyo-chan! You're—you're _ripped_!"

Her startled shout drew the attention of the other girls and they all turned to look at me. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks under their scrutinized looks. "N-Not really."

Kyōka reached out and poked my bicep. "No, seriously. I never noticed because you're always covered up, but you've got _muscles_."

Shyly, I looked away and shuffled my feet. "E-Eheh. I work the farm a lot, and I train a lot with Sho-chan." My eyes flickered over to my biceps. It was true that I had strength, but I wasn't _ripped_ like Izuku or Shōto.

Ochaco prodded my belly, still gaping. " _You have abs_."

"S-Stop poking me, I'm still ticklish," I whined, teleporting a couple feet away from her. The girls laughed at me. "And it's not that surprising. Nem—er—Midnight and a lot of the other women superheroes have this body."

"Do you follow a certain routine?" Momo inquired.

"K-Kind of." Ochaco poked my belly again and I jumped. "Stop that, Ocha-chan!"

Again the girls giggled.

Blushing, I hurriedly finished getting dressed, dodging Ochaco's attempts to tickle me. Once I was finished I waited for the other girls, and as a group, we headed out to the pool.

It was a warm summer day, like all the days before had been, coupled with an absolutely gorgeous blue sky. Big white fluffy clouds dotted that deep blue, and gentle breezes blew through the yard.

The pool we were using was decent sized. We were allowed to switch to the indoor pool if it had ended up raining, but since it was such a lovely day we kept to the outdoor one. I had planned on bringing everyone snacks and drinks that Baba was making later on. Momo was tempted to bring her own food, but since I could teleport to pick up fresh food and drinks it was simply better for me to take care of it.

Plus Ochaco absolutely hyped up Baba and Papa's cooking, exciting all the girls.

There were a couple other students from our class at the pool—it would seem that Izuku, Denki, and Mineta had scheduled time to work out at the pool at the same time—so we greeted them with smiles and waves.

I was honestly surprised to find Shōto amongst them, figuring he would have used this day to visit his mom.

"See," I said, pointing towards Shōto and his extremely well-toned body. " _That's_ ripped."

"Stop drooling over your boyfriend Kiyo-chan!" Ochaco called out loudly, causing my cheeks to turn redder than a tomato and I started to sputter out a denial.

"Gosh, Kiyo-chan, so _lewd!_ " Kyōka teased, equally loud. The other girls were giggling again since their words were most _definitely_ heard by the other boys, and poor Shōto was steadily looking down at the concrete pretending not to listen.

I was squeaking, trying desperately to form coherent words to deny their accusations.

"Oh, my," Momo exclaimed, "I never knew someone could turn as red as a watermelon!"

" _Huurrrrrk_ ," I wheezed, burying my face in my hands. "Staa-aahp!"

This only caused the girls to burst into gleeful laughter and Mina grabbed onto my arm. "Such a cute little wifey!"

I whined pitifully.

Mercifully the girls refrained from teasing me further, but they did giggle every time I _happened_ by sheer _coincidence_ to glance over in Shōto's direction.

We went ahead and started our stretches before we swam, and during such the last of the boys arrived, with the exception of Katsuki and Eijirō.

Then the fun really began and we started with a game of Marco-Polo before switching to don't-let-the-ball-touch-the-water.

After tossing around a blown up ball in the water for half an hour or so we all pulled ourselves out of the pool and grouped together in a corner. We kept our legs in the water, chatting companionably with one another. We mostly talked about what our initial plans had been for the summer. Momo was especially disheartened that her parents had to go to Venice without her—as her father already had to attend a business meeting and her mother had decided to go with him.

We talked about what we hoped the training camp would entail, things of that nature. It was honestly such a relaxing time.

Our conversations died, however, when Tenya shouted above it all to ask, "Everyone, do you want to see which of the boys can swim fifty meters faster?"

"Hell yeah!" Denki agreed.

"Sounds like fun," Sero voiced.

As the rest of the boys let out approvals for that idea, we girls exchanged interested looks and got up from our sunbathing spot to approach them.

"Iida-kun, we'll help," Momo offered.

"What about Quirks? Can we use them?"

"We're at school so there shouldn't be a problem," Tenya said. "However, you cannot cause damage to any person or building."

The boys split up into groups to race—since there was only so much room in the pool—and Momo created a stopwatch to time them.

The first group consisted of Katsuki, Minoru, Tokoyami, and Denki.

"Then on your marks," Momo began, and the boys dropped down into starting positions at the edge of the pool. "Go!"

While the rest of the boys dove into the water, Katuski used his explosive Quirk to literally launch himself through the air across the pool. Immediately upon landing he turned back to taunt his fellow classmates, "How was that, you extras?!"

"You didn't even swim!" Eijirō scolded.

"It's freestyle," Katsuki retorted hotly, and no one could really argue against that.

The next group set up was Sero, Aoyama, Koda, and Shōto. Shōto, like Katsuki, used his Quirk to slide above the water and win. Denki and Mineta both scolded him upon winning shouting, "You're supposed to be swimming!"

The last group was Tenya, Izuku, Ojirou, and Shoji. It was the closest to an actual race with Tenya and Izuku neck-and-neck the whole way through but Izuku was the ultimate winner.

"Yosh!" Tenya exclaimed. "The winners of each—Bakugou, Todoroki, and Midoriya—will race for first place. Line up!"

The three finalists took their places, and Tenya continued, "Then, the 50-meter freestyle final will begin now."

The class as a whole started cheering, everyone calling out for who they wanted to win. Since they were all my friends I only cheered for them to have fun.

"On my mark—Ready… set… Go!"

The three launched themselves into the air but all of them fell completely flat into the water as their Quirks were canceled.

"It's five," Aizawa said, approaching the group, "your pool use time has now ended. Get home. _Now_."

' _Ah. That's a shame_.'

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next time the whole class met up again was a few days later when it was time to start our training camp. We all gathered at the front of the school, our bags packed, bright-eyed and filled with smiles. Once everyone had arrived, Aizawa began talking to the class.

"U.A. has finished its first semester and summer break has already started," Aizawa addressed the class of 1A. "However, for those of you trying to be heroes, you will not receive days of rest. At this summer training camp, we'll have you aiming for even greater heights for _Plus Ultra_."

"Yes, sir!" we echoed, and Aizawa gave a brief nod before he guided us towards the bus we would be taking.

We all had our bags put away quickly, although only three could do so at a time and the rest meandered around while they waited. By the time everything was done, however, 1B had shown up and started boarding their own bus.

There was a brief exchange between the classes, but it didn't last more than a minute since we had to start boarding ourselves.

The bus was nice—like all of U.A.'s things—and had comfortable seats. I took my spot beside Shōto; he sat at the window and I sat at the aisle so I could chat with Ochaco in the seats beside us. Izuku sat beside Ochaco at the windows, his face as red as cherry.

"I really can't wait," Ochaco told me as the bus started moving. "I've been looking forward to this all summer."

"Mn! It should be a lot of fun," I agreed wholeheartedly.

"We should do a test of courage!" Mina declared from behind us, and Toru practically shrieked in agreement.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Ah, I keep forgetting you were homeschooled," Ochaco said, her eyes wide. "It's when you have part of the class—or other classes entirely—hide inside a forest, or old school building. Then you go through in pairs of two and get scared! If you run out you're a coward, but if you make it all the way through then you pass."

"Oh? That sounds kind of fun."

"I hope there's a bonfire," Toru commented. "Wouldn't it be nice to have s'mores?"

Ochaco, Mina, and I oo'd in agreement, nodding enthusiastically.

"I hope there's a trail or lake nearby. I'd like to be able to go swimming at night," I said.

"A romantic trail walk at night, huh," Mina said, wiggling her eyebrows.

I stuck my tongue out in response.

We continued to chat amiably for a couple more hours until it was time for the bus to pull over.

The bus came to a stop in a dirt lot that overlooked a massive beautiful forest. Everyone got off the bus to stretch and walk, all of us under the belief we would simply be taking a break.

"Ah," I said, stretching my arms high above my head. "Maybe I shouldn't have worn my leggings today. It's pretty hot."

"But the bus is actually cold and we'll be spending most of our time on the bus until we get to camp," Ochaco pointed out as she stretched beside me.

"True," I agreed.

"There's no point in stopping without a reason," Aizawa said flatly, drawing the entire class's attention towards him.

The black car parked opposite of the bus opened up and out stepped some damn gorgeous women.

"Yo, Eraser," one said.

Aizawa bowed politely in greeting, "Hello again."

The first woman, a pretty young lady with short auburn hair, warm chocolate brown eyes, and dressed like a pink cat twirled and said, "Lock on with these sparkling gazes."

The other young woman, a long-haired blonde with gorgeous blue eyes danced around and added, "Stunningly cute and catlike!"

Together they formed a pose and said, "Wild, Wild Pussycats!"

As they did their greeting I noticed a sour-looking boy standing a little ways behind them. He looked extremely _done_.

Aizawa introduced the women to us. "These are pro heroes who will be working with us during the camp, the Pussycats."

"Th-They're a four-person hero team who set up a joint agency!" Izuku cried out, his fanboy side popping out like a water balloon as he gushed. "They're a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues. This year will—"

"Veteran?" I repeated, incredulous. "They look barely out of high school."

"Well aren't you a charmer," the blonde woman cooed.

"Everyone, greet them," Aizawa ordered.

"Nice to meet you!" we shouted.

The pink-clad pussycat gestured towards the first. "We own this whole stretch of land here. You all will be staying at the foot of that mountain."

"Huh? Then why did we stop here?" Ochaco asked.

"Could it be—"

Izuku and I exchanged excited glances and I squealed, "Do we get to go _hiking_?!"

"W-Why don't we get back to the bus, huh?" Sero suggested nervously. "Fast."

"Y-Yeah," Denki stammered out. "Let's go."

Most of the class nodded in agreement at this, turning back around towards the bus—

"It's 9:30 a.m. right now. If you're fast… maybe around noon?" The brunette cooed.

This got most of the class to literally sprint towards the bus, but the blonde cutie leapt in front of them with a sly grin. She slapped her hands on the ground below, the paw gloves she wore glowing pale blue.

The entire ground gave away underneath us, and I reflexively used my teleport to avoid falling.

Thankfully it wasn't that far of a drop, and my classmates were fine from falling if a bit disheveled and dirty.

"Oi!" the brunette pussycat hollered out once the rubble cleared around us. "Since it's private land you can all use your Quirks. You have to make it on your own two feet to the training camp, but you're going to have to go through The Beasts' Forest."

"U.A.'s too crazy," Kyōka muttered, standing up and brushing the dirt off her clothes.

"No use complaining," Eijirō said. "Let's head on out."

Mineta dashed into the forest, the purple-haired boy clutching pitifully at his bladder with tears in his eyes. The moment he got past the tree line, however, a massive beast made of rock and dirt emerged and roared.

Izuku had to act quickly to save Mineta, as Shoda's Quirk (which was to subdue animals) didn't work on it.

"Oh boy," I said, beaming. "This going to be fun, isn't it?"

Izuku shot me a wary look. "If you say what I think you're going to say next I'm not helping you weed the gardens this summer."

"It's an adventure!" I cried out cheerfully.

The groan of agony from Izuku made me giggle as the poor boy remembered all the dangerous expeditions I made him go on with me as we were growing up.

"We might even get to run away from more bears with broken bones," I continued, my grin stretching wider while Izuku looked like he was having a war flashback.

"This is why I don't go on adventures with you," Shōto informed me.

"I, uh, I think I'll have to raincheck our scheduled adventure for the end of summer, too," Ochaco added nervously.

"Aw."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The trip through the forest took everyone almost the entire day. It was a _great_ exercise, since it really tested everyone's limit and allowed us to gain wonderful practical experience working as a team.

Plus it was actually a lot of fun trying out new combos with my friends. It was rare that we _all_ got to try out taking out foes together.

And we got to spend time outside, which was a major bonus.

It was hard not to keep grinning the whole way through, which warranted more than a few irritated looks (along with Izuku's unnecessarily worried expression that I would come up with more ideas for our adventures). But really, who could blame me? I spent my entire life doing hard physical labor and being outside. If I _didn't_ enjoy either of those things I'd be in for a hellish life.

An extremely exhausted, battered, and ravenously hungry class of 1A stumbled out of the forest as the sun set behind us.

Most of us had ruined our clothes along the way—rest in peace, leggings—and were covered in scratches, and bruises. An outsider looking over at us might have thought we had returned from a grueling battle.

The training camp main building was decently sized, and the Pussycats—whose names Izuku told me were Ryuko (the blonde), Shino (the brunette), Tomoko (a green haired woman we hadn't met yet), and Yawara (the only man in the group)—along with our teacher awaited for us.

"Three hours my ass!" Sero hollered out as soon as he saw them.

"So-orry," Shino cooed, "that's how long it would have taken _us_."

Most of the students collapsed, Eijirō clutching at his stomach. "I'm friggin' hungry!"

Ryuko giggled adorably. "But honestly, I thought it would have taken even longer. You guys didn't have as hard a time beating my earth beasts as I thought you would. You guys are great, especially you five!" Ryuko pointed towards Tenya, Izuku, myself, Shōto, and Katsuki. "Were you able to act without hesitation because of your experience? I'm looking forward to where you'll be in three years." Ryuko dashed towards us. "I call dibs!"

"But in three years you'll probably already have your own harem started up from your sheer beauty," I flirted out of reflex.

Working at a maid cafe with mostly older women and men as customers forced me to get some particularly odd reflexes. One of them being to shamelessly flirt with said older women and men. It was always understood, at the cafe, that there was no real heat behind it, simply part of the whole experience.

Unfortunately, this habit _has_ lead me to some extremely embarrassing experiences.

Such as accidentally frequently flirting with Shōto's older sister and the poor girl sputtering and running away every time.

Or, _God_ , flirting with Inko too many times to count.

I would never live down the sugar momma incident, and Izuku would _forever_ have blackmail on me.

Ryuko took me by the arm and spun me around. "You really are just the little charmer."

"Inspiration comes easily when I see such breathtaking beauty like yourself," I said with a wink.

Ochaco was giving me _such_ a pitiful look. She knew _exactly_ what I was doing because the poor girl was starting to pick up that habit herself.

"100 times dibs," Ryuko declared, thoroughly entertained by me.

"U-Um, whose kid is that?" Izuku asked, pointing over towards the kiddo who was glowering beside Shino.

"This is my cousin's kid," Shino explained as Ryuko continued to spin me around. "Kota, say hi. You'll be with them for the next week."

Izuku approached the kid since he was a big ol' cinnamon roll himself and adored kids. With a big smile on his face he said to Kota, "Oh, um, I'm Midoriya from U.A. High School's hero course. Nice to meet you."

Kota promptly punched Izuku directly in the balls, and my sunshine was down for the count.

"Midoriya-kun!" Tenya cried out, dashing to catch Izuku as he fell forward. Kota walked off, shoving his hands in his pocket and continuing to look like a sour patch. "You brute of a nephew! Why would you do that to Midoriya-kun's scrotum!?"

Kota paused briefly to snap back, "I don't intend to hang out with guys who want to become heroes."

With surprising amusement, Katsuki chortled. "Precocious brat."

"Isn't he like you?" Shōto asked Katsuki.

"WHAT? Not at all!" Katsuki snarled. "Anyway, shut up, you GG bastard."

"Sorry," Shōto said flatly.

"Enough with this charade," Aizawa cut in. "Get your stuff off the bus. Once you've put your bags in your rooms, we'll have dinner in the cafeteria. After that, you'll bathe and go to sleep. We'll start for real tomorrow. Now move quickly."

Only the prospect of food and a warm bath got the students moving again—although I stumbled since Ryuko had spun me around quite a bit—and with tired limbs, we did as told.

Dinner was eaten with gusto and enthusiasm and then off to the delightful baths we went.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat down on the warm rocks, my legs in the water. Mina sat beside me, a big grin on her face, while Ochaco sat in front of me, her back turned towards me. I ran my fingers through her hair, and she sighed contently. "Playing with hair is the best."

"Mm-hmm!" I agreed with a grin. "There's one hot spring in my town and when the girls come back from boarding school we all go together. Hot springs are the best."

"With you there," Mina exclaimed, rocking back and forth. "Perfect way to unwind after such a day."

"I wonder what else they have in store for us," Tsuyu pondered, moving to sit beside Ochaco and in front of Mina.

Momo's eyes gleamed. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be very informative."

I was about to respond to her when we all heard Mineta's scream of, "WALLS ARE MEANT TO BE CLIMBED OVER!"

Everyone froze, looking over at the wall between the boys' and girls' baths in unhidden horror.

There was a sudden wall of ice on the other side and we heard Mineta's cry of anguish. "AHHH T-T-T-T-TOO C-C-C-COLD!"

This was immediately followed by the ice melting as fire erupted and Mineta cried out once more.

Silence.

"T-Todoroki-kun stopped Mineta-kun, then?" Ochaco guessed hesitantly.

"Jeeze. Wonder why," Kyōka commented, giving me a look.

I blushed, feigning ignorance. "He's a gentleman."

The girls smugly exchanged glances.

 _'Oh, God the teasing is going to start back up again, isn't it?'_

Yes.

Yes, it did.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Before the sun had finished rising, the class of 1A was already dressed and gathered outside in a large open area. Aizawa waited for everyone to arrive before he said, "Good morning. Today we will begin training camp to increase your strength in earnest for everyone to obtain their provisional licenses. It is to prepare you all to face hostilities that are becoming more real by the minute. Proceed carefully. So Bakugō, try throwing that."

Aizawa tossed Katsuki the same ball we had tested with at the start of the school year.

"Your previous record, from right after you started school, was 705.2 meters. Let's see how much you've improved."

"Oh, we're checking our progress?" Mina exclaimed excitedly, her eyes bright.

Katsuki smirked before he pulled back his arm, his face contorting into a scowl and he threw the ball with all his might. " _Go to hell!_ "

The ball soared well out of sight.

"709.6 meters," came Aizawa's clipped voice.

This was met with surprise from the class, and frustration from Katsuki.

"It's been about three months since you started high school," Aizawa said. "Through various experiences, you all have definitely improved. But that improvement has mainly been at the mental and technical levels, with some increase in stamina. As you can see, your Quirks themselves have not improved that much. That's why we will work on improving your Quirks starting today." Aizawa smiled cruelly. "It'll be so hard you'll feel like dying, but try not to actually die."

Aizawa started to go through what each student would be doing to improve.

 **Katsuki** \- Throwing his hands in boiling water to expand his sweat glands, then using his Quirk to make even bigger explosions.

 **Shōto** \- Alternating between ice and fire to make the temperature of the bathwater uniform. This is to help his body get used to freezing and have him try controlling the temperature of his flames. He might even be able to use both Quirks at once eventually.

 **Sero** \- By having him produce tape continuously his training will increase his capacity and improve tape strength and shooting speed.

 **Eijirō** and **Mashirao** \- By having Ojiro use his tail to hit Eijirō with his Hardening activated they can increase the strength of each other's Quirks.

 **Denki** \- By running his electric current through a large capacity battery he's training his body to be able to handle large amounts of electricity.

 **Koji** \- In order to increase the strength and range of his Anivoice he's doing vocal exercises to build up his vocal chords.

 **Yuga** \- Training to get his body used to Navel Laser so that he can keep using it even if his stomach hurts.

 **Fumikage** \- Training to keep Dark Shadow under control if it's going wild in the dark.

 **Ochaco** \- By turning continuously in zero gravity she's training the semicircular canals in her inner ear to decrease nausea and increasing the maximum weight she can use her Quirk on.

 **Tenya** \- Doing long training runs to increase leg strength and stamina.

 **Tsuyu** \- Training to work out all the muscles in her body and her long tongue.

 **Kyōka** \- Increasing the quality of sound from her Quirk by strengthening her earphone jack.

 **Mina** \- Intermittently creating acid to increase her skin's durability.

 **Mineta** \- Training to increase the strength of his scalp so that he won't bleed even if he keeps popping off balls.

 **Toru** and **Mezo** \- Increasing the strength of both their Quirks by having Mezo look for Toru.

 **Izuku** \- "Tiger's Bootcamp."

 **Momo** and **Kiyomi** \- Continuous sparring with and without their quirks.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I saluted at that last instruction, turning back to Momo and holding out my hand. "C'mon, Momo-chan. Let's get some experience in, okay?"

Momo's eyes shined. "Mn!"

My own Quirk couldn't be overtrained like others, anyway, and Aizawa knew that. He had to have already been planning for me to receive a physically heavy work out, which I would get with Momo, but after the exams, he probably saw an opportunity to knock two birds out with one stone.

Momo wasn't a slouch, or lacked the skill, but she had an awful habit of thinking in the middle of battle. That was easily rectified by repeatedly fighting and learning to rely on her instincts.

Otherwise known as experience.

Something I had plenty of. Working out with Momo would fulfill my training requirements, and by having her spar with _me_ —and if I were to guess Aizawa's intentions correctly, mentor her a little bit—it'd really help her out.

When we found an ideal spot to start I told her, "Your goal is to be able to block all of my attacks for at least a minute."

"Is that all?" Momo asked hesitantly.

I grinned roguishly at her. "Oh, honey. That's the warm up."

Something about my expression made her nervous, and she positioned herself defensively.

"Ready?"

"Yes!"

I didn't give her another second; I began my assault.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

We trained until the sun began to set behind us, and then forty extremely tired students stumbled over to where we were supposed to eat. Unfortunately, we would be making our own food, too.

As people reluctantly got to work with the prepared ingredients, I looked out at the forest, a sense of nostalgia washing over me. My hand ghosted over towards my right hip where —

(where the pouches should be—)

(where the sword should be—)

(where the gun should be—)

(where the book should be—)

(where the scroll should be—)

( **don'tgo** )

—nothing was there. I placed my hand over my hip, briefly wondering why I had done so. A sense of loss and mourning stirred inside of me; followed by a longing so fierce it made me stumble and tears prick at my eyes. My heart skipped a beat and my stomach clenched tightly. My breathing hitched for the briefest of moments and then everything faded away.

Normalcy returned to me, but I retained a deep sense of melancholy.

I turned toward one of the Pussycats, smiling at her. "May we use the forest to gather?"

The beautiful blonde looked up at me and gave me a thumbs-up. "Have at it, if you can!"

"Gather?" Izuku asked tiredly, a spark in his eyes. "Aha. That takes me back to the camping trips."

"Nothing's better than fresh stuff," I said.

"Aren't you exhausted?" Ochaco wheezed.

(Always)

"I'm okay," I answered her honestly. "I won't take long. I think I remember finding some stuff on the trip in."

(Deadman's Land means dOn'TstOPoRyOuDIE)

"Do you want help?" Shōto asked me, but I shook my head. "Okay. Stay safe."

"Of course. I'll see ya'll in a bit."

' _I guess I could also just teleport right back to the farm and grab stuff but I think I'd get in trouble for that. I'll talk to Cactus about it later.'_

Within ten minutes I had an impressive bundle of mushrooms and herbs to contribute. Another fifteen minutes and food was ready and my friends and I took a seat at one of the tables to enjoy curry.

"How'd you know how to find all this stuff?" Ochaco asked me as she took a seat beside me.

"It's just stuff you pick up growing up—"

(—alone)

(—as a kunoichi)

(—as a soldier)

(—as a hunter)

(—as a nomad)

"—on a farm," I answered. "Although Izu-chan knows his fair bit, too. I took him camping a lot on our adventures."

"You always seem like you know a lot," Ochaco declared. "You're like an old soul or something!"

(Ah- **ha** )

There was a twinge, and I sucked in a sharp breath as my grip tightened around my chopsticks. A sense of panic and danger hit me strongly and for a split second, I wasn't enjoying dinner with my friends, I was—

 _Strapped down to the table, bound as the men leaned over. They had drained me, and it took everything I had to remain conscious._

 _The bonds creaked under my straining, and a blinding light filled my vision as they pulled the light over my head._

" _What else do you know?" he asked me._

 _The stench of my blood filled my nostrils._

" _Not again," I whispered to myself as I realized what had happened._

" _Again?"_

" _Oh well. Better luck next life."_

" _What—? What are you doing?!"_

 _I bit my tongue off._

The grotesque scene replayed before my eyes, causing shivers to go down my spine. But then Shōto was pressing his forehead against mine, and it felt so terribly warm and nice.

A convulsion hit my body and I dropped my chopsticks. Heavy breaths escaped me, as goosebumps crawled on my skin. Cold, clammy, sick, fear hit me and vision began to double.

In the corner of my eye I saw the fAcEs staring at me, and my fear shot up into horror.

"Kiyo—?" I distantly heard Ochaco's worried voice.

Shōto slapped his hands on both of my cheeks, jolting me out of my stupor.

In a flash, everything was gone.

Dazed, I glanced around, realizing that Ochaco and Shōto were both staring at me intently. Ochaco's face conveyed nothing but genuine worry. Shōto's was a bit harder to read, but his gaze was intense and entirely focused on me.

Swallowing roughly I croaked out, "S-Sorry, what?"

"Are you okay? You looked like you got scared for a second. I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you," Ochaco fretted.

"I-I'm fine now, thank you. S-Sorry for the trouble."

Dinner went on without much comment, and as soon as I got the chance to excuse myself I took it.

Of course Shōto wouldn't let me get away too easily.

Shōto grabbed my hand, tugging me away from the rest of the group. He dragged me outside of the building and out onto the patio. The crisp night air felt cool against my skin, and the familiar sound of crickets singing reminded me of home.

He tugged me over towards the steps then motioned for me to sit. I sat down beside him, curious as to what he wanted.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Shōto said, "but I'm here if you do."

 _Ah_.

I leaned into him, and he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer. I tucked my head into the crook of his neck, finding strength there.

"I honestly don't know what to say," I admitted to him.

"You'll find the words when you're ready," he assured me. "But until then, I'm here."

I closed my eyes. "Always?"

"Always and always."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I stared down at her broken, mangled body. Her arms and legs were bent at odd angles, and her face was stuck in a permanent expression of horror.

" _Sister."_

My heart wept for her.

The scene melted away and I held my son as he gave one last staggering breath and the machines flatlined.

" _Damien._ "

Again it shifted.

Another death in my arms.

Another life slipping away.

Most were loved ones.

Some were my own.

The faces watched with tired, tired eyes.

So tired.

 _Too tired_.

Death took everyone in the end.

He welcomed them into a peaceful sleep, and cherished them.

 _Everyone but me._

He said—

He said—

Life makes gifts for Death, and _Death keeps them all._

So why not me?

Why did I have to watch my husband, my wife, my son, my daughter, my sister, my brother, my friends, my parents, my _everything_ move on without me?

The faces wept over this betrayal, this cruel form of immortality. So many of them were stuck in their traumas, forced to relieve painful memories over and over because letting go and moving on seemed terribly worse.

If we moved on, who would remember?

What would happen if we stopped thinking about them?

Would their memories fade away from us, slipping through our fingers like smoke?

Would we lose them all in a much more permanent and irreparable way?

Their memories—

 _Laura was laughing as she looked at me, her pretty green eyes sparkling as she leaned into me for support._

 _Jason gave me that grin that he always did when was about to do something stupid._

 _Dad rolled his eyes and gave such a pitiful moan to protest having to get up to change the channel._

 _Demmie danced and danced and danced like there wasn't a care in the world._

 _Maddie smiled only at me that way._

All those memories were precious, treasured, even—

 _I sucked in a deep breath as I entered the room, my eyes going up to her dangling body. Barely eleven and already the weight of the world was too much for her._

Good, bad, great, awful—

They were all I, we, I, we, I had left of them.

They were gone from me for all eternity, and I knew I would never see them again.

These memories were the only things that kept them alive to me.

But good memories are harder to remember. It's easier to remember the awful ones—

 _I screamed with fury as I held his broken body in my arms. Rage fueled my next actions as I leaped at his killer, the one who dared to take him from me. It didn't matter if I died next, all I cared about was ending this monster's life._

—because they stuck out and clung to us.

Even so, even with the cruel memories we, I, we, I would hold onto them.

Letting go was so much worse.

"And that's why He will never keep us," Blessed whispered.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

For the third time that night I awoke. The nightmare had vanished upon waking, but the sense of trepidation persisted.

Something was going to happen.

Covered in cold sweat, I shakily climbed out of my sleeping bag. I stumbled across the room trying not to wake anyone, and I slipped into the hallway. It was difficult to see in such darkness, but necessity forced my hand.

I padded down the wooden hallway before finally making it to the teacher's room. I opened the door and quietly approached Aizawa. I gently gave his form a shake and his eyes snapped open, his Quirk activating.

He stared at me a moment, assessing my trembling form, then nodded toward the door.

Taking the hint, I went back into the hallway.

Aizawa followed behind me a minute later and motioned for me to follow him. I did so, and only when we had both arrived in the kitchen did he break the silence. "What happened?"

"Something's going to happen," I told him with absolute certainty. "I had—I had more bad dreams. I, I can't remember any of them, but I _know_ something is going to happen."

Aizawa gave a tight sigh, rubbing his face. "Okay. Get yourself some tea to calm down, I'm going to go make a phone call."

I nodded, and Aizawa stepped out of the kitchen. I watched him leave before giving myself a couple pinches in the cheek to help calm me down. Sometimes a good dose of pain helped cut through the heavy weight of anxiety, allowing me to think more clearly.

By the time Aizawa returned I already made two cups of tea, and he accepted his without a word.

He let me finish drinking my tea before he said, "You up for teleporting now?"

I nodded firmly.

"Good. Bring every teacher you can here. Do _not_ tell anyone else what you are doing. We will be keeping them hidden, but nearby."

"Okay," I said, closing my eyes.

My wand hadn't bonded with a lot of teachers. While, yes, I had spent almost five years at U.A. and was on good terms with almost all of the teachers, my wand was fickle in how fast it bonded. There were some people who sparked an almost instant connection like Nemuri and Ochaco, but others were slow. All Might, for example, was a slow bond. I wasn't sure if I would ever be bonded to him before the year end, to be frank.

The teachers I could teleport were Nemuri, Thirteen, Present Mic, Aizawa, Ryo, Nezu, and Snipe.

"Do they know I'm coming?"

"Give it another ten minutes then go."

I accepted this and waited. On exactly the ten minute mark I began.

Nemuri was groggy-eyed, but greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and making me promise to bring her Baba's sugar cookies later.

Thirteen was already in costume, diligent as always and gave me a comforting pat on the back.

Present Mic was borderline still asleep and looked like he was in desperate need of twenty cups of coffee.

Ryo told me he would not be attending, but he would be on standby.

Nezu was still dressed in his pajamas but was packed and ready to go.

Snipe, like Thirteen, was already dressed in his hero costume.

Once everyone had gathered in the kitchen Nezu kindly patted me on the hand and asked me to go back to bed.

"If you have any more bad dreams, let us know though, okay?" Nezu asked me.

Tiredly, I nodded. "I will. I promise."

"Sweet dreams, sweetie," Nemuri told me, giving me a wink.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

After the hard night I decided to carry around a fanny pack filled with emergency first aid the next day.

That day mirrored the previous, with each of us training with all of our might. Nearly exhausted, we made dinner, then cleaned up the dishes. I was prepared to take a bath then go to bed, but then—

Ryuko of the Wild Wild Pussycats gave a big cheer and declared, "Now we've filled our bellies and washed the dishes! Next is—"

"THE COURAGE TEST!" Mina cried out with glee, hopping up into the air. Others followed suit, equally cheerful.

"Before that, it pains me to say this," Aizawa cut in flatly, "but the extra lessons group will be having class with me now."

"YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!" Mina screamed, tears in her eyes.

"Sorry," Aizawa said and I knew he absolutely was _not_ sorry, "but your training during the day wasn't good enough, so I have to use this time."

As the five unlucky students cried out Aizawa forcefully dragged them away with his bandages, looking entirely unrepentant.

Ryuko then explained the test of courage. Class B would be the first scarers. Class A will leave in pairs every three minutes. There are tags with our names written on them in the middle of the route, so we have to make it there and bring those tags back to pass. Those being the scarers aren't allowed to make direct contact. The class that makes the most people "piss their pants with creativity and imagination" wins.

Next we drew our tags, and I was soon partnered up with Ochaco.

"Ah. Looks like you're my partner, Ocha-chan!" I said with a smile.

Ochaco beamed at me. "Yeah-huh! Aha, this'll be fun."

We took each other's hands, swinging them back and forth. I said, "I promise I won't try to scare you like I would with Izu-chan."

"I appreciate that," she said completely sincerely.

We both giggled, and I was about to say something else when Katsuki's shout stopped me.

"OI! BUBBLEGUM. Switch with me, I don't want to be partnered with your bastard of a boyfriend," Katsuki demanded, stomping over towards me and Ochaco.

"He's not my boyfriend," I corrected him, "and only if you say pretty please and it's okay with Ocha-chan."

The very idea of Katsuki saying pretty please turned his face ten shades of red. Finally he bit out, " _Fine_. I'll fucking partner with your stupid boyfriend."

"What a champ," I chirped, offering my arm out to Ochaco. "C'mon Ocha-chan, allow me to be your gentlemanly escort."

" _Ooo_ ," Ochaco cooed, hooking her arm through mine. "How _dashing_!"

"Indeed, my lady! Come, let us partake on a delightful midnight stroll, mm, yes," I said in a stauchy fake British accent.

"Quite indeed, my good lady!" Ochaco said, her voice raising up higher as she mimicked my accent. "Truly, what a devilishly splendid night this shall me."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!"

" _Oh-ho-ho-ho!_ "

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!"

"Oh—"

"Please stop," Izuku sighed, but he smiled at us nonetheless.

"I think he doesn't like our evil princess laugh," I whispered to Ochaco. "How rude."

"Completely," she agreed. She stuck her nose in the air. "Come, my lady! Let us leave these unappreciative heathens."

I tossed my hair back. "Indeed!"

"Oh-ho-ho-ho."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The lovely competition began and we could hear plenty of screams from either the teams ahead of us, or Class B trying to psyche us out. By the time it had rolled around to our turn Ochaco was grabbing on harshly to my arm, no longer using her fake princess laugh.

Her terror was seriously cute, though, and I couldn't resist giving her cheeks a pinch and giggling.

"Stop laughing at me," she whined.

Ryuko let out a girlish laugh. "Alright, team five, you're up!"

"C'mon, sweetheart," I said, tugging on her. "Just stay close to me, okay?"

"Okay," Ochaco said, doing exactly that. "Urk. I've never been good at these kinds of things, you know."

"That's okay," I soothed her as we began our trek. "Izu-chan's awful with scary stuff, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah! One time we went camping in the woods behind the farm and I hadda go pee in the middle of the night; so I get out of the tent and head back to the farm. I mean, I like the woods but who would want to go pee over a bush when there's a perfectly good bathroom ten minutes away?"

"Makes sense," Ochaco said, nodding.

"Right? Anyway, I get back and I find the camp in shambles and Izu-chan had crawled up a tree. Apparently he thought a monster had eaten me and he climbed up the tree to try and find me but then he couldn't get back down so he started crying—"

"Aww."

"Yeah. But he could never handle being alone in the dark very well," I finished. "He's of course better now, but I don't think he'd willingly go into the woods without me at night, haha."

Ochaco let out a small laugh at that, relaxing a bit from my story.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

But then, _oh_ , _oh_ , _oh_ , she appeared.

This villain who looked no older than sixteen, with a smile like a shark.

She walked out calmly from behind the trees, and said in a sugary sweet voice, "Hi, cuties! Want to be friends?"

We stood together, our postures defensive as a thousand thoughts raced through our heads.

Was it another attack of villains? For a villain to have gotten this far would mean she had either slipped past all the defenses and was alone, or...

Or she wasn't alone.

Before we did anything we heard a voice belonging to one of the Pussycat members in our head.

"Everyone in Class A and B listen up! In the name of pro hero Eraserhead you are granted permission to engage in combat! We have discovered one of the villains' targets. It is one of the students: Kacchan! Kacchan should try to avoid combat and acting independently. Understood, Kacchan?"

 _'Bocchan?!'_ I thought, eyes widening as my stomach knotted. ' _One of_ my _friends?!'_

( _You dare?!_ )

( **YOU DARE?!** )

 _He laid before me, still, and cold._

 _She let out her last breath._

 _His lips turned purple, and blue_

 _Purple… and blue…_

 _OH, so much_ _ **rEd**_ —

Anger that did not belong to me surged from me and I snarled viciously. The desire to ripriprip her f-u-c-k-i-n-g heart out was mounting, and fear _oh_ the fear was indescribable.

How did one begin to describe the heart-stopping gut-wrenching panic of being helpless and forced to watch someone you loved die?

Forced to see them decay into nothing, or _worse_ writhe in pain as they die slowly and you could do **nothing**?

Burning hot rage boiled inside of me, so fierce I trembled with it. Inside of that anger was paralysing horror, and a small child whimpering to herself: _Not again, not again, not again—_

I _moved_.

My bubbles turned into blades, jagged on every end to rip up the flesh of this plague who dared to try and make us go through that hell again.

She seemed delighted, but what a c-h-i-l-d she was.

I could not teleport, but that did not matter because _**we**_ would not let her win.

She focused on me because I had two blades in my hands but I did not need the two.

A third bubble sharpened into blade and as I neared her, I jabbed with my right blade, swung up with my left, and the one from behind dove straight down at her.

Her eyes widened as she realized there was no escape for her. One of them would hit her, and the only choice she could make was which one.

She chose the blade from behind, jumping back away from me and straight into the sword that dug itself through her abdomen. I was c-a-r-e-f-u-l not to hit anything vital, but as I ripped it out blood gushed forward like a gentle waterfall.

She doubled over, clutching at the hole in her abdomen.

Unused to pain, this one was.

But still, she giggled with insane glee, looking up at me with eyes that shone with twisted affection. "Ah! My first~"

I did not care for a drawn out monologue, though, and I slammed one of my conjurations into the back of her neck and rendered her unconscious.

Ochaco approached me hesitantly, her eyes so wide and innocent. "K-Kiyo-chan…?"

The anger that was not mine to begin with left me. Coldness took its place, along with a sick feeling that clung onto me like a slimy blanket. The chill over my heart kept my head level, but the feeling of wrongness and guilt hung over my head.

I said in a quiet, shaky voice, "She'll live, as long as she gets treatment. I didn't hit anything vital."

Ochaco looked immeasurably relieved, and then I noticed her legs were shaking. Concerned, I asked her, "Are you okay?"

"You—You got a little scary," Ochaco admitted softly. "I felt like—I felt like you wanted to kill her."

Uncomfortable, I could only shuffle my feet awkwardly and look away. "I, I don't know what came over. I'm sorry for scaring you, Ocha-chan."

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I was just caught off guard. Don't worry about it. Um—should we take her back?"

"No. I don't know how long she'll stay unconscious. I'd rather let her escape as is, than risk bringing her back towards other students who might be as injured, or worse."

"But she might bleed out—"

I bit my lip. ' _What am I thinking? Of course she'd bleed out and die if I left her like that. Why isn't this bothering_ me?' Goosebumps crawled up my arm. ' _This isn't normal._ _I should be upset—why—why am I acting like this?_ '

"You're right," I admitted to her, my brow furrowed. I tried to scrounge up anything, but all I could feel was ice inside of my chest. Even the tips of my fingers felt frostbitten, and I had to consciously work on clenching and relaxing them. I reached around for my fanny pack that I kept around my waist since having those awful nightmares last night.

Inside was needle and thread for emergency sutures, and plenty of disinfectant.

Ochaco's face turned green, but I ignored her for the moment and approached the unconscious bi—young woman.

I gave myself a good shake, trying to stir _something_ other than irritation and frost inside of me.

' _Am I in shock?_ '

( _No_. _We're still here._ )

( _We're still with you—_ )

I had learned how to suture from my aunties and uncles. Everyone in town knew how to give emergency first aid to humans and animals. It was one of those things you had to know how to do on a farm. Doctors and ambulances couldn't reach us any time soon, after all.

I lifted her shirt up, poured disinfect over her and the needle, then I pinched her skin together and got to work.

First her front, then her back.

I wasn't the neatest sewer, so there was a good chance I would leave behind a scar. Not that I cared.

I wished I did, though.

' _Is this how Mother felt?_ '

The sheer awfulness of that thought sent a thrill of fear—fear of myself—that shattered the ice around my heart. Tears pricked at my eyes, and at long last I could feel disgust for my actions and my anger.

It was such a relief I almost cried out.

But we didn't have time for that.

"What a hassle," drawled a deep voice, as blue flames shot out to completely surround us.

( **D-a-n-g-e-r** )

Immediately, I transformed one of my bubbles into a blade, and had the other one hover near Ochaco as a shield. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I knew the man before us was a cut above slasher girl.

Instinctually I knew this man was not someone I could take lightly. Gone was my anger and fear, and in its place was resolution and a desire to protect.

( _Liar_ )

( _Anger will always be there._ )

"Ochaco," I said in a low voice, "I'm going to throw you over the fire with my bubble and you need to run and get help."

Ochaco shook her head, "No, I—"

I didn't give her a chance to finish. My bubble transformed and wrapped around her arm before I threw her hard over the fire and in the direction of the camp. The man watched this with an amused expression on his face.

"How noble," he mocked.

I used one bubble to flatten out and hover near me to shield against his fire attacks. My eyes narrowed into slits. "I don't suppose we can talk this out?"

"Cute," he said.

"I try."

' _Should I try to escape? Use my shield as a hoverboard? No. He could probably use those flames like Shōto and Katsuki and chase after me in the sky. In that case he might end up setting the whole forest on fire. I should try to keep it contained here and hold out until help comes.'_

With that decision made, I adjusted my stance to offense and began my—

( _Won't you dance with me?_ )

—onslaught.

I leapt at him, twisting and turning my body to dodge his attacks. Fire shot out of his palms, and I had to dodge widely and use my bubbles as a shield to avoid the worst of it. Unfortunately with his attacks he ignited the grass behind me and it became vividly clear that I would soon have no room to dodge.

I did what I could, weaving and (dancing) moving to the best of my abilities with the constraints given. I wasn't able to get any good hits in for a while, merely grazing him repeatedly with my tanto.

On the bright side he looked increasingly irritated that I kept drawing blood.

On the down side it was getting extremely hot and I was running out of room _fast_. Soon I'd have to dedicate two bubbles to fight on top of, leaving me only with one to shield _and_ attack. I didn't want to have to fight this guy bare-handed because something told me doing that would be _bad_.

I had to turn the tides in my favor quickly.

I dove underneath his arm, my desire to maim fueling my movements. With practiced ease I whipped around in the air, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards me. In the same motion I continued to flip into the air, completely twisting and dislocating his wrist, elbow, and likely shoulder.

The reflection of sheer pain on his face sent a thrill of pleasure inside of me and upon landing I transformed one of my bubbles into something sharp and jagged. With his other hand he erupted blue flames on my other side that near instantaneously breaking my shield, but not before I dug my knife into the back of his non-dislocated shoulder.

The flames burned cruelly into my side completely breaking my concentration on all of my bubbles—they all shattered away—and throwing me down to the ground. For reasons unknown he had directed the flames over my body and not my face—which might have successfully killed me if he had melted my face.

The result was my left side was near useless, with my arm dangling and my leg burning something fierce.

The pain itself was not enough to render me unconscious, however, and while I struggled to stand, I was not prepared to give up.

The assailant was also in a pickle. I had definitely dislocated both of his shoulders, likely tearing his tendons, too. He was unable to lift his arms, and the sheer hatred on his face made me grin cheekily in return.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, fighting hard to keep my voice even through the pain. It still cracked. "Can't fight anymore?"

A sneer (although it wobbled from the amount of pain he was in) stretched across his face. "I underestimated you. I won't make that same mistake again."

"It's the pink hair, isn't it?"

That got a ghost of a smirk.

Leaning heavily on one leg, I raised my good arm and reformed one of my bubbles. "I'd hate to have to b-bust your kneecaps, but if you're g-gonna insist on f-fighting that's what I-I'm going to do."

He wheezed. "It'd be _so_ much easier to kill you."

I gave a lopsided grin. "The p-power of pink hair gives m-me plot armor protection. A-All the main protagonists have pink hair."

I got another wheezing chuckle for that one. The two of us continued to stand off. I was hoping to bide time for when Ochaco would return with help. The pain was going to make it difficult to fight, and—

( **let us out** )

And—and—

But I didn't get a chance to finish that thought.

One moment I was staring down the blue-flame villain and the next I was in curled up in soothing darkness.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Later on I would learn that I had been placed inside a marble by Atsuhiro Sako, who was able to compress anything in the world into a marble without damaging it. He could only do this if his target didn't notice him.

At that moment he compressed me, all of my attention was on Dabi, while he was flying above escaping with Katsuki in a marble.

And that was how the League of Villains successfully kidnapped Katsuki and myself.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Ochaco**

As soon as Ochaco was over the blue flames she stumbled and had to catch herself on a tree. She turned back around, a cry in her throat but she couldn't see her friend behind the ominous fire. Fear and worry clawed at her, but the young woman shoved them all aside and forced her numb legs to start moving.

She broke out into a dead sprint, every inch of her instincts screaming that one of her best friends was in a very dangerous fight.

' _It's like the exams_ ,' Ochaco helplessly thought. They were up against an enemy that could overwhelm the two of them. He was an unknown powerhouse and the fact that he made it so far into the forest could only mean one thing.

Another villain invasion.

Ochaco _had_ to get to the teachers as soon as she could. There was a chance they may not even be aware of what was happening.

 _'Deku wasn't with us—_ '

A thrill of horror made her heart pound painfully inside of her chest. Ochaco viciously shook her head to clear away those thoughts because if two of her best friends were in mortal peril she didn't know what she would do.

She ran as fast and as hard as her legs could carry her. She may not have exercised as consistently as Izuku or Kiyo, but she was still in good shape. She sidestepped branches, roots, and rocks, hurtling herself into the darkness.

But suddenly a massive black _thing_ threw itself in front of her with a deafening roar, saliva pouring out of its mouth. Ochaco barely suppressed her scream of surprise, falling back in an attempt to avoid its landing.

 _'That looks like the—the thing from USJ!'_ Ochaco thought in disbelief, her eyes widening in disbelief. ' _What—what is it doing here?! Oh no, everyone—'_

Several gunshots could be heard and the creature reared back in anger, hissing in the direction of the bullets came from. From the darkness emerged one of the teachers and Ochaco felt relief turn her legs into jelly.

Sniper, one of the teachers at U.A., stepped out of the darkness and helped Ochaco back onto her feet. "You okay, little lady?"

"I-I'm fine," Ochaco blurted out, "but—Kiyo-chan—there was a villain with blue fire. She's fighting him, you have to help her."

Sniper glanced in the direction Ochaco ran from. "Alright. I'll take care of this vermin, you head back to the start and stay with the rest of the teachers."

"But—"

" _Go_ ," Sniper ordered.

Ochaco swallowed her protests, turned on her heel and continued her journey.

Her run lasted another five minutes before she broke out into a clearing filled with absolute chaos. There were more monsters and more teachers—although three monsters looked nearly dead and were lying still in a pool of blood. Ochaco was momentarily surprised to find so many teachers there such as Present Mic-sensei, the principal, Thirteen, the Pussycats, and Aizawa-sensei.

For that one split second upon arrival Ochaco was stunned. All of them worked fluidly with one another to bring down the monsters and the villains—for Ochaco now noticed there was one remaining villain who was barely standing, and many more collapsed on the ground.

Then that second of wonder and awe was over and Ochaco sprinted to the group of students including Tenya, completely out of breath.

"Uraraka-san!" Tenya greeted her, lookin immensely relieved. "You're okay?"

"I-I'm fine," Ochaco managed, still trying to catch her breath. "But, Kiyo-chan was still in the forest—"

"Did you tell a teacher?" Tenya immediately asked.

"I-I told Sniper-sensei," Ochaco admitted, and Tenya let out a soft sigh. "He said he would get her."

"Good, then we need to head to the building. Midnight-sensei and Sniper-sensei already went into the forest to assist. Thirteen-sensei and Aizawa-sensei will join them after this last Nomu is taken care of," Tenya explained.

"Nomu?" Ochaco repeatedly worriedly, looking over at the massive monster that was battling against over half a dozen of professional heroes and still standing. It was massive with dozens of eyes around its head and long arms that ended in nasty looking claws.

It was the stuff of nightmares, Ochaco believed.

But even nightmares could be conquered, apparently, with one last blast from Present Mic followed up with a brutal punch from the strongest member of the Pussycats. Once it went down Thirteen and Aizawa shot into the forest without another word, both intent on rescuing the others.

"Uraraka-san, come on!" Tenya ordered, and Ochaco obeyed.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Ochaco looked around as more and more students came into the makeshift infirmary inside the main building. Teachers were stationed around the room, and Ochaco felt her heart clench when she couldn't find some familiar faces.

Shōto, Izuku, Fumikage, Yuga, and Mezo came in followed by Sniper and Aizawa. Ochaco shot towards them, her gaze firm on Sniper. "Sensei?!"

Sniper looked over at her, and the other students looked at her, too. Maybe if Ochaco hadn't been as worried she would have noticed the defeated looks on their faces. She might have wondered what happened with Katsuki, another student she noticed was missing. She might have stopped herself from asking Sniper in front of such an obvious wrung out audience.

But worry clouded her mind and she couldn't hold back any longer. She blurted out, tears in her eyes, "Kiyo-chan? Where's Kiyo-chan? You said you would get her."

Eyes widened in disbelief, and horror dawned on Aizawa's face before he whirled around the room, normally tired eyes sharp as ice. Sniper cocked his head. "I never found Kiyo-chan, she's not here?"

"She never came back!" Ochaco exclaimed, her hands flying up to her mouth as a feeling of cold guilt and nausea hit her.

' _Oh my God. I left her._ I left her. _I left my best friend!_ '

"What happened to Kiyo?" Aizawa demanded sharply, pulling Ochaco out of her growing frantic thoughts. "Uraraka-san, tell us what happened."

"W-We were attacked," Ochaco sniffled, doing her absolute best not to cry as the gut-retching guilt clawed cruelly inside of her stomach. "Th-There was a lady w-with a knife but Kiyo-chan stopped her. Then a-a man showed up. He h-had blue flames and surrounded us with fire. Kiyo-chan threw me o-over the fire and t-told me to get help." Tears tumbled out of her eyes. "I-I r-ran until I f-found Sniper-sensei."

"The fire was gone by the time I stopped the Nomu," Sniper said slowly, "there was no trace of Kiyo-chan, or her attacker. I thought she might've used her teleportation to get away."

"Wh-What if she teleported home by accident?" Izuku whispered, and Ochaco's guilt doubled when she saw the pain in his eyes and how utterly destroyed he looked. "I-If she used too much power she might ha-have passed out."

"All of you get some rest. We'll take care of this," Aizawa ordered, already moving away.

Ochaco watched him leave for a brief moment before she buried her face in her hands and gave a silent cry.

' _Please be okay, Kiyo_.'

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_

 _Double update my dears!_


	13. DANGER

**Deep breath in, deep breath out.**

 **You're going to be okay.**

 **Warning:** Panicked thoughts, disordered, kidnapping

 **Beta: emplatinum**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 _Off their heads went, rolling away from their bodies._

" _ **Aw,**_ " _we cooed, "_ _ **you lost the game.**_ "

 _The last one who stood was trembling. He could barely hold the weapon in his hand, and tears streamed down his face._

 _We grinned at him. "_ _ **Wanna p-l-a-y-?**_ "

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

D

A

N

G

E

R

We awoke before we were meant to. We were bound, bound, bound, bound, bound, bound—

They had bound our wrists together and tied our ankles to the legs of the chair.

Bad, bad, bad.

Awful knots.

Easy knots.

We—I—We—I—We—I popped my wrists out of place, loosening the bindings enough so I could slip out of them with ease. I pushed my wrists back into place, using the back of the chair to do so.

We popped our ankles out, wiggled enough, and then put them back into place.

We knew better than to let them know we were free too soon.

 **Time tO plAY?**

The **p-a-i-n** of the burnburnburns was theeeerrre but o-o-oh we had worse.

Pain was our friend.

Pain was there _every life_.

 _ **So we could ignore it all**_

The door opened up to the room that was not important and we s-m-i-l-e-d.

He did not matter. He would be deaddeaddead soonsoonsoon.

He took us out to a bar. There were others.

The man who—yes, Dabi. Dabi was watching us with narrowed eyes and arms in slings.

 _Oopsie,_ I thought. _I left a loose end._

We, I, We, I, We were placed beside Katsuki, and he looked us with genuine fear.

Yes, I suppose we must have looked bad with our blood-soaked bandages.

Drip-drop-drip-drop-drip-drop went our blood.

 **pLaY?**

 _ **pLaYwItHuS?**_

Oh but where was the sound of the snip-snap-snip-snap-crick-crack-crick-crack of bones breaking?

We couldn't have the sound of blood not accompanied by bones breaking!

How boorish!

How uncivilized!

How **BORING.**

Through the corner of our—my—our—my eye I could see a fireplace.

One that ran on gas.

I lifted my gaze up towards the lost little boy that I could kill if I grew a bubble in his heart.

If I grew a bubble in any of his arteries.

It would be easy.

Too easy.

He _should_ —

(KILL)

(NO)

(KILL HIM)

(NO)

(KILL)

(NO)

(YES)

(Nononono)

(YESsssss)

NOT THIS LIFE.

"Poor boy," we cooed. "So desperate for affection he would take it from anywhere. From _anyone_."

"Damsels should not talk back to the monsters that have them," Shigaraki said lowly, shifting his posture.

"Why was Midnight afraid of you?" the man of smoke and lies asked.

"Shall we play a game?" I asked, my bubble digging inside of the fireplace. It wrapped around the gas pipe and I s-l-o-w-l-y started to break it.

Not a sound must be made.

"Ho?"

"I am this level's boss," I said. "You must defeat me for your prize."

"You're already defeated," Dabi cut in, his face twisting in annoyance.

"Phase one is done," I agreed. "Phase two is not. How many lives do you need?"

"One," Shigaraki responded.

"Lucky," we said.

The pipe was free, the gas filled the room.

Dabi sniffed. "What's that smell?"

"This level is a lava zone," I said. "Don't die."

I ripped myself free from the bindings I had loosened, diving towards Katuski and wrapping a bubble around the two of us.

Then I flipped the switch for the fireplace with my bubble.

B

O

O

M

I—We—I—We—I poured every bit of my strength into the bubble wrapped tightly around Katsuki and myself. The explosion was immense—being in a bar did not help with that—and the force was powerful enough to send the two of us ripping through the air.

The bubble absorbed the worst of the fire, and the worst of the walls we went through but it was not perfect as shock absorption. I forced it to take us into the air, using the momentum gained from the explosion, to send us shooting into the sky.

The strength it took to do this was indescribable. It was like trying to desperately hold on to a piece of paper against the might of a tornado. My bubble wavered, cracked, and splintered, like glass, under the weight of explosion and the damage it sustained, _but it held_.

It took _everything_ to keep it together in the air, and my heart _**hurt**_ from the strain on my wand. It pounded harshly and loudly inside of my chest, and each breath pained me like using a broken arm.

Wheezing, I used the second bubble to cut Katsuki loose and he immediately dropped to his knees in front of me, his eyes wide. "Bubblegum, can you breathe?"

"Bar-ley," I whispered, "lo-sing."

Katsuki grabbed me, pulling me close just as my bubble shattered into millions of splinters. We free fell from the sky, plummeting to the ground before Katsuki threw out his arm and used his Quirk to slow our fall.

I could see the fire from the bar, and the pillar of smoke spiraling into the night sky.

' _What a pretty fire,_ ' we thought.

( _It's time to rest_ , Blessed said. _The danger is over_.)

We kissed Kiyomi goodbye, and I thanked them for their help.

They slipped from my mind like a summer breeze.

Katsuki got us to the ground, but I was still struggling to breathe. He rolled me onto my back, placing an ear on my chest and listening to my heart. He counted to fifteen before letting out a soft, " _Fuck_."

I could feel my heart staggering, and I could barely whisper out, "Wand?"

Katsuki's eyes trailed down to my thighs, and he felt around for a brief moment before he found the pack I kept my wand safe in. He flipped it open, and my wand tumbled out.

There was a hairline fracture on it.

Katsuki looked at it in stunned silence before he looked over at me with wide eyes. "Bubblegum?"

"Re-urn—me," I wheezed, and Katsuki placed the wand over my heart. It returned to me, and relief came instantaneously. "Oh, thank _God_."

"We need to get you to a hospital," Katsuki said, looking over towards the fire. "Those assholes will be looking for us soon. Can you walk?"

I reluctantly shook my head. "I—I can't catch my breath."

Katsuki grimaced, but wordlessly stood up, turned around, and squatted down. Taking the hint, I weakly pushed myself up and climbed onto his back. He hooked his arms around the back, readjusting me, before he broke out into a steady jog, heading in the opposite direction of the fire.

I focused on trying to even my breathing, breathing through my belly. The pain had faded from my heart, but the strain on retaining such a powerful bubble had splintered my wand.

My wand was directly affected by my heart, and vice versa.

I knew that if anything should happen to my wand, it would directly correlate as damage to my heart.

It was in the brochure Baba and Papa had received from that old man so many years ago. The more valuable a part was attached to a wand, the stronger the wand.

A sort of… the greater the risk, the greater the reward scenario.

If my wand broke, that wouldn't simply be the end of my Quirk.

It would be the end of my life.

It was why Magi Quirks weren't ideal for being heroes. In order for the Quirk to be powerful enough to be useful as a hero, it'd have to come from a valuable part of the body, like the heart or brain. In such a violent world, though, damage was inevitable and having a blatant self-destruct button was dangerous.

It's why I kept my wand as well protected as I could.

I coughed, and Katsuki broke into a sprint.

The fracture would heal. It wasn't the first time I had overstrained my wand, and I doubted it would be the last. As long as my wand rested inside of my heart, it could recharge and heal.

I may still require surgery, but it should be okay.

I would be fine, this time.

From the blood loss, difficulty in catching my breath, pain, and exhaustion, it was inevitable I would pass out. One moment I was struggling to look ahead on Katsuki's back as he jogged as far from the fire as he could, and the next I was cocooned in darkness.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **(Katsuki's POV)**

Katsuki was dead tired, but adrenaline and genuine fear for his oldest friend kept him going.

His palms started to sweat profusely, and the bandages Kiyomi had on her were already soaked through with blood. It made it hard to keep his grip on her, but he held on with all the strength he had.

' _Hospital. Hospital. No, phone? Would they be able to track it, though?_ ' Katsuki's thoughts were rapid as he tried to think about how to get out of this unsavory situation.

Kiyomi got them out of that villain den, but he doubted she did much else than piss them off. The explosion wasn't even on par with some of the stuff Katsuki's thrown around, and probably the only reason Kiyomi's shield shattered prematurely was because of her pre existing injuries.

' _She smells like charcoal_ ,' Katsuki couldn't help but notice, gritting his teeth from the realization that her injuries were likely severe burns. ' _Those can cause nerve damage._ '

They were in some skeevy part of the city. The kind of place you don't go to unless you were looking for a fight, or something worse. The explosion had to have drawn a lot of attention—a quick glance behind Katsuki confirmed the smoke was billowing high into the sky—and help _had_ to be on the way.

Whether it was the kind of help that would save them or get in the way was yet to be seen.

Katsuki tripped but caught himself, cursing his stupid tired legs, and swearing if his fingers went numb he'd bite them off.

He tried to stick to the shadows as much as he could. He didn't know how fast those villains would recover to chase after them—he had to assume the worst, which was that they were fast and they would pursue—and did his absolute best to lose them.

It didn't help that Kiyomi was occasionally dripping blood down onto the pavement leaving a nice trail.

When Katsuki noticed _that_ tidbit he swore so vehemently even sailors would turn red.

He had to stop and set Kiyomi down a dark alley and rip apart his shirt into makeshift bandages. It was mostly her right shoulder and arm, and he wrapped as much as he could. He knew it wouldn't stop the bleeding indefinitely, but he had to do _something_.

While he was wrapping her he checked her breathing and pulse again.

The fear that shot through him when he realized it was slow _again_ was indescribable.

Fear was not something he knew how to handle.

When he got scared, he lashed out. He could _always_ fix his problems with a good pounding if it scared him.

But how did he fix a friend that was dying in front of him?

It made him snarl with frustration, and hot burning rage boiled inside of him. He couldn't carry Kiyomi piggyback anymore because stretching out her arm might reopen more wounds, so he picked her up bridal style.

He hated how she reeked of blood and burnt flesh.

He hated how she was so covered in blood it made it hard to keep a grip on her.

He hated how pale she was getting.

He hated how every time her breath hitched his heart _stopped_.

He hated _everything_ right then.

Katsuki was supposed to be a hero, _goddamnit_. Heroes always won. Heroes always saved the day. They defeated everyone they came across. They always protected their friends—

 _They don't let their friend die._

Katsuki was going to be a hero so _of course,_ he would find a way—

He was going to win.

He was going to be a hero.

He was going to save her, and then he was going to come back even stronger and beat the fucking shit out of those asswipes that had the brilliant fucking plan to kidnap him—

Katsuki was going to be a hero.

No matter what.

So even though he hated everything about this situation, he plowed through. He kept ducking around corners and sprinting when he thought it was safe enough to do so. He tried to keep Kiyomi as even as possible to not irritate her wounds further.

He did everything he could.

And for that night, it was enough.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The villains did give chase when they regrouped.

But thanks to Katsuki's quick thinking and stubbornness they did not catch up until it was too late.

And by that, they did not catch up until the one and only All Might and numerous heroes arrived on the scene.

(unintentionally accompanied by a ragtag group of students who were determined to save their friends.)

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **(Several hours later, Kiyomi's POV)**

I awoke in a hospital room, tired, and drugged. Upon waking a nurse came in to check on me. She looked me over with kind eyes, and a gentle touch, and afterward she left to inform the doctor of my awakening.

The doctor came in next, an older man with a charming smile. He went over my chart, told me that I was going to be okay. He said the only real issue was with the burns.

"Most of the burns could be treated, but," the doctor began, hesitating momentarily, "I'm afraid you'll have some scarring on your shoulder."

"Type of scarring that will inhibit movement, or cosmetic?" I immediately asked.

"Cosmetic," he reassured. "The skin grafts took, but, well, not everything can be put back as it was."

I nodded, knowing this. "How extensive?"

The doctor gestured towards the top of my shoulder. "From the top of your shoulder and down a quarter behind your arm."

 _That's easily covered by sleeves,_ I thought, content with that. It could have been a lot worse, after all. I also didn't mind scars in the slightest, especially not burns.

The doctor smiled with relief of my acceptance. "That's a good attitude. Ah, I'm sure you want to see your family, though, so I will let them in. Please do try to get some rest."

"Yes, thank you, doctor."

He left promptly, and the room was filled with silence for over five minutes.

Then the door slid open and a comforting sight made me smile as wide as I could. Baba and Papa had entered the room, both hurrying over to my bed, each one on opposite sides. Baba immediately leaned over and kissed my cheek and forehead. "Good morning my little Kiyo-chan."

"Morning, Baba. Morning, Papa," I greeted, grinning when Papa reached down to kiss the top of my head. "How did you guys get here?"

"Nezu-san was kind enough to arrange transportation," Baba explained, pulling the blankets up around me and tucking me in better. "How are you feeling, sugar?"

"I'm okay," I reassured them. "Who's watching the farm?"

"Takashi," Papa answered. "Don't worry, it's not going to burn down while we're away."

"I know, I just worry."

"You're too young to be doing that," Baba lightly scolded me, brushing back my hair. "Are you hungry?"

The thought of eating made my stomach churn and I shook my head. "No, thank you though."

Papa cleared his throat. "Have you had a chance to talk with your teachers?"

"Uh, um, actually no. The last thing I remember was being with Katsuki after we, um, we _escaped_?" I said the word escaped hesitantly because that part was extremely blurry to me. It was shrouded in a thick fog and when I tried to focus on it I found it slipping further away from me.

"Well," Papa began, "your, ah, shishou talked with us quite a bit. They're building a dorm at the school and—"

"I'm not moving there," I immediately cut in, instinctively sensing where this was going.

"Now hold on a moment, Kiyo," Papa said sternly. "We know you worry 'bout us, but we aren't _that_ old. We're in good health and we'll be dandy on our own. Refusing this opportunity simply 'cause of us isn' right. This is about _yer_ —er— _your_ safety. These darn villains are dangerous and Mimi and I both think you need to stay at school."

"I can teleport to school, though," I argued, "I don't need to stay at a dormitory for _safety_ —"

Baba cut in softly, " _Kiyomi_."

The rest of my argument died on my lips, as I looked over at my Baba. Her gray eyes were staring back at me with steely determination. A glance at Papa showed a mirroring look and I knew that no argument—however logical—would persuade them from this. They both genuinely believed it was best for me.

"You've given up a lot to help us, and take care of us," Baba continued quietly. "We love you, Kiyo-chan, and we're so grateful to have you as our child. But you need to put yourself first, too. We won't let you pick us over you again."

"Baba—"

"Enough, Kiyo-chan. You can still visit us on the weekends, but during the weekdays you have to promise us to stay at school."

I bit my lip. "Okay. I promise."

"Atta girl," Papa praised. "Now you focus on getting better, alright?"

"Alright."

They both smiled warmly at me before they pulled up some seats and our conversation switched over to meaningless chatter. Baba talked about the latest town gossip while Papa added a crude commentary on some of the information. It was familiar white noise, and I found myself relaxing as they chatted.

It certainly couldn't have been more than a few hours after they came into my room that there was a soft knock at the door and Papa said, "Come in."

The door slid open and Shōto came into the room carrying a bouquet of flowers. "Hello."

"Oh, are those for Kiyo-chan?" Baba gushed, standing up and hurrying over to examine them. It was an assortment of different flowers and I only recognized a few of them from the distance. Baba beamed at Shōto, taking the bouquet from him and pulling him into a hug before she kissed his forehead. "Such a sweet boy!"

Shōto shifted awkwardly when Baba pulled away to place them in a nearby vase. Baba had always been affectionate with my friends, and while Shōto knew each time he visited he would receive a hug from her he never really got used to it.

Papa stood up to greet Shōto with a handshake before pulling him into his own hug (Papa was also very affectionate). "How are you, Shōto? I heard you tried to rescue Kiyo-chan."

"I'm fine, sir," Shōto answered, shuffling his feet and shoving his hands in his jean pockets. "Uh, and yes. A group of us tried to rescue Kiyo-chan and Bakugou-kun."

"Oh my," Baba tutted. "That was very dangerous, you should really take care of yourself Sho-chan!"

"Yes, Baba. Sorry, Baba," Shōto apologized.

Baba made another disapproving noise before smiling. "Dan and I were about to go get lunch. Would you mind staying here with Kiyo-chan for us?"

"Not at all," Shōto said quickly.

"Have you eaten?" Papa asked.

"Ye—" Shōto squirmed under Baba's stern gaze. "No, sir."

"We'll bring you back something then, dear," Baba said, patting Shōto's shoulder. "Kiyo-chan, sit tight for a bit, okay?"

"Okay."

Shōto stood awkwardly at the door for a few seconds before he took a seat where Papa had previously been sitting. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," I answered. "They were actually able to repair a lot of the damage, so I should be good to go in a couple days."

"A lot? Was there something they couldn't?"

Gesturing towards my left shoulder I said, "I'll have some burns on my shoulder, but nothing deep enough to worry about. The muscles are fine."

A worried look flickered across his face. "Are you—Are you okay with that?"

"Of course. You can't be in this business and not expect to earn a few scars."

"I—I suppose that's true."

I reached over and grabbed one of his hands, giving it a squeeze. "So... you tried to rescue me?"

He flushed. "W-Well, yes."

"Aww. Were you my prince charming?"

"Shut up," he responded eloquently, his cheeks turning a darker shade of red. It made me giggle. "Did they tell you about the dorms?"

That made me sigh. "Yeah. I'll _have_ to stay there during the weekdays. Urk. I know I'm going to be constantly worried about them, though."

He squeezed my hand. "They'll be okay. They live in a good town, and people will check on them."

"Yeah, I know, I just—"

"Worry more than there are stars in the sky?"

My lips twitched. "Something like that."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My stay in the hospital lasted another three days and my friends each visited me during that time. Ochaco was nearly hysterical during her visit, crying in my arms about how she shouldn't have left me. It took over an hour of reassurances before she was consoled, and we spent the rest of our time munching on goodies she brought from the cafe.

Once I was discharged I already had to head home and start packing for the move into the dorms.

Packing up for the dorms took a solid day. Because of how far we lived there wasn't a lot of moving trucks that could reach us, so I ended up having to teleport all of my furniture into Nezu's office and he'd have workers bring it over to the dorms for me (I couldn't teleport straight to the dorms as I didn't have a solid picture of where it was, or what it looked like).

A lot of my aunties and older sisters stopped by that Saturday to bring over some hand-me-down clothes they had fixed up since I was going to a "posh" school with those "city girls and boys."

(Plus they wanted to drink wine with Baba while Baba bemoaned her baby girl growing up in an overly dramatic fashion that only grandmothers could pull off.)

Aunty Hanako and her daughter, Sissy Kiki, made lunches and sweets in the kitchen while the rest of us put things into worn boxes that by that point were 70% tape.

Sissy Oriha cooed as she held up a crop top, "Oh this will look so cute on you, Kiyo-chan." She and the other sisters were going through the hand-me-downs they had brought over to make sure they'd fit me okay. A few of them required a quick patch job which was done on the spot. "Try it on."

"But that will show off her scars," Aunty Ari protested.

"Scars are sexy, though," Sissy Akamali dismissed.

"On _men_."

"Don't be so old, grandma," Sissy Oriha scolded.

Aunty Ari sniffed at that, pulling out another shirt that was cut off at the midriff but had sleeves. "Here, Kiyo-chan, try this."

"And this!" Sissy Kagome threw a skirt my way.

"I'm not a doll," I protested.

"Yes, you are," everyone informed me.

I spluttered, but Sissy Sayako grabbed me by the upper arm with a grip only a farmer's child could have and dragged me to my nearly empty bedroom. "You and I both know who'll win if you try to fight it."

I pouted at that but gave a sigh of resignation shortly afterward.

I accepted my fate as their doll for the day.

The actual packing didn't get done until Papa got home and saved me from the dress-up nightmare. He had me help out in grilling dinner while the rest of the girls fought over which clothes deserved to be packed away (since I would only have so much room in my dresser). Only by 11 that night did everyone leave, satisfied, and did I drop off the last of the boxes.

That night I crashed on our spare mat, only waking up when I could smell Papa and Baba making breakfast for me before I would head out to the dorms.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"For now, I'm glad that we were able to bring Class 1-A back together again," Aizawa began as the entire class of 1A showed up outside the dorms. Despite his warm words, his face remained, as always, stoic.

"Everyone was allowed to enter the dorms, huh?" Sero commented, looking around the group.

Toru gave a big sigh. "I had a hard time."

"That's to be expected though, right?" Kyōka scratched her right cheek sheepishly.

"The two of you were directly affected by the gas," Mashirao observed.

Tsuyu added, "We were all able to be together again because of the teachers. When I watched the press conference I thought we'd lose them, and it made me sad."

Aizawa responded with, "I was surprised, too. Well I'm sure everyone has different circumstances. Now I'll explain briefly about the dorm, but first—" Aizawa clapped his hands together. "For now we will focus on getting the provisional licenses we were planning to have you get during the training camp. This is important, so listen up. Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Midoriya, Iida. These five went to save Bakugou and Kiyo that night."

A shot of anxiety pierced through my stomach when Aizawa brought that up. It was, well, it was rather embarrassing to have been kidnapped in the first place. Heroes did the saving, not the other way around. Granted, there really wasn't a lot I could do under the circumstances. The villains knew about my Magi Quirk and each carried around a bag of Magi Dust to prevent me from escaping. I had to stay and _try_ to hold the blue-flames guy off. He was way too dangerous for me to face with Ochaco—especially considering I had never fought alongside Ochaco before. I could probably do so fine against an average enemy and adjust my style, but against such a dangerous foe? It would have been too risky for both of us.

Still—

An unease had settled over the entire class from Aizawa's words, and I hadn't realized that I had unconsciously shifted into a more defensive stance.

Aizawa let out a sigh. "Your reactions tell me that you all were at least aware of it. I'm going to set aside a number of issues and say this: If it weren't for All Might's retirement, I would've expelled everyone except Bakugou, Kyōka, Hagakure, and Kiyo. Of course the five that went, but also the twelve that knew but didn't stop them betrayed our trust, no matter what the reason. I would be grateful if you could follow the proper procedures and act properly in order to regain that trust. That's all."

Aizawa abruptly turned around and started to walk towards the dorms. "Now we're going inside. Let's have some energy."

There was a definite cold hanging over the class from his stern words, however. Even though Aizawa had never raised his voice, the chill in his eyes and venom in his tones conveyed twice as much anger. In my half decade of knowing him I had only ever seen him that angry a few times. The first one being when a student very nearly killed his classmates when trying to show off his ability—he was fuming and short-tempered for a week after that one. The second time being when the same student tried to get his expulsion _repealed_.

That actually elicited a sincere _shithead_ from Aizawa.

Even now when he tried to go back to casual I could still see the tension in his shoulders and how his hands were kept deep in his pockets, as if to keep from showing them clenching into fists and relaxing.

It was understandable how no one felt chirper after that, and plenty were downcast and chastised.

I felt guilty for it. I knew it wasn't my fault for being kidnapped, but if I hadn't been none of them would be upset.

Logically I knew I shouldn't feel bad, but at that moment my heart wasn't in agreement with my brain.

I was suddenly pulled from my observations when the sound of electricity cracking into the air behind the group. Turning around I saw Denki stumbling out from behind some bushes, his brain completely fried. I noticed Katsuki was behind him, a small tinge of red on his cheeks, and shoving his hands in his pockets.

My fellow classmates laughed at Denki's ridiculous expression from overusing his Quirk, and once laughter filled the area, the gloomy atmosphere lifted and we followed behind Aizawa.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

As the doors swung open Aizawa said, "Each student dorm building holds one class. Girls on the right, and boys on the left. But the first floor is the common area. Foods, baths, and laundry are on this area."

We entered the ridiculously immaculate dorm with starstruck eyes. Just the common area was bigger than five farm houses put together. It was like a mansion!

There were sounds of exclamations as everyone took everything in with wide, wide eyes. Aizawa eventually guided us up to the second floor to show off some of the rooms.

"Rooms start on the second floor. There are four rooms per gender on each floor with five floors total. Everyone gets their own room. They're luxurious spaces equipped with their own AC, toilets, fridges, and closets. These are your rooms. The belongings you sent ahead have already been placed in your rooms, so unpack and get settled in today. I'll tell you more about what will happen from now on tomorrow. That's all, dismissed."

"Yes, Sensei!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I was really happy to find that I was on the same floor as Ochaco, Momo, and Mina. My room was opposite of Ochaco's, and next to Momo's. When it was time to start setting our rooms up Mina first set up her stereo and started blasting out "montage" music. We kept our doors open so we could listen, and chat while we worked. More than once I would catch one of the girls in the hallway about to get something and start dancing with them.

It caused things to take longer than they normally would but it was all in good fun.

I didn't have nearly as much stuff to set up as some of the other girls, so when I was done I headed down to the kitchens and started baking cupcakes and cookies as a thank you and apology for the whole kidnapping fiasco.

I swept my hair up into a bun and slipped on a white bandanna to keep any hair from falling into batter. From there, I tied on my red and white apron and changed into proper house slippers. The kitchen was a short walk away and I was abundantly pleased to see it was well stocked with staple ingredients. I was sad to notice that they didn't have some of the fresher herbs I was used to working with, but I could always pop back home to grab some.

Since they had everything I needed for the sugar cookies (Baba's famous recipe, of course) and the red velvet cream cheese cupcakes I got straight to work.

The cake batter had to be made first since that would take the longest—cookies only required a solid ten minutes in an oven unless the batter was really wet—then the cream cheese icing so it could be chilled.

They didn't have any food dyes so I had to teleport back home and grab a few things.

It didn't take more than an hour and a half to finish baking everything and have them set out to cool. Of course as soon as I pulled out the cookies from the oven my classmates started drifting in one at a time.

Izuku was the first, practically sprinting inside with an overly excited look on his face and a cry of, "Baba's sugar cookies?!"

I laughed as he hopped from one foot to the other in place. "Yep! Baba's sugar cookies."

His big grin in response was adorable and I reached over to pinch his cheek like my Aunties always did. "You're too cute, Izu-chan."

That got a blush and a splutter which made me laugh again. Denki, Mina, and Sero were the next ones in with Mina giving a big inhale. "Ah! It smells _so_ good."

"Well the cupcakes need to cool a bit more before I can ice, so you'll have to wait a bit more," I apologized.

"Cupcakes and cookies? Ah, what a day to be alive," Denki said.

Mina snuck a sugar cookie before I could swat her hand away. She took a bite and gave a dramatic cry of, " _Oh my God it's like heaven in my mouth_."

"I SMELL BABA'S SUGAR COOKIES!" Ochaco screamed as she ran into the kitchen full sprint. She stumbled to a halt before she slammed into one of the counters, big brown eyes looking pleadingly at me and the plate of cookies.

"Okay fine you guys can start eating the cookies," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Izuku and Ochaco dove for them, both snatching up three and devouring the first one in a blink of an eye.

Denki tried one and clutched at his heart before hollering, "Todoroki I'm about to steal your wife!"

Less than a minute later Shōto showed up with a baffled expression on his face. "What?"

"You better treat these cookies like the blessing they are!" Mina exclaimed, slinging an arm around my waist. "You have yourself a blessed waifu."

"I'm not his waifu," I insisted.

"How come _you're_ always denying it, but not Todoroki-kun?" Ochaco asked, looking over at Shōto with a raised eyebrow.

Shōto blinked once. "She is not my wife."

"These cookies are my new wives," Mina informed us as she grabbed her sixth cookie.

"How dare you not marry this princess who makes the best cookies," Ochaco objected on my behalf, mock offended. She glared at Shōto. "You take that back right now."

Poor Shōto was looking increasingly confused.

Eijirō and Tenya came in next, drawn in by the noise and smell. Eijirō's face lit up. "Are those cupcakes! _Red velvet, too_? Aw man this is awesome, thanks Kiyo-chan."

"I'm just about to ice them if don't mind waiting a minute."

"I would wait for eternity for these cookies," Denki whispered.

"Oh, are those Baba's cookies? They were quite good," Tenya commented, taking a couple.

" _How dare you!_ " Mina and Ochaco blustered.

"Good?!" Ochaco demanded. "I think you mean _perfection given form_."

"It's heaven in a bite!" Mina agreed.

"Well—"

"Heaven. In. A. Bite." Mina kept direct eye contact with Tenya as she slowly ate another cookie. "Say it before you offend the cookie gods."

"It's heaven in a bite," Tenya said carefully, not wanting to incite Mina's surprising wrath over cookies.

More people came in until nearly the entire student body of Class A—minus Katsuki and Tsuyu—had congregated into the kitchen and munched on cookies and cupcakes.

"You know what would be a good idea?" Mina asked perkily. "A room presentation contest!"

"Ah, that sounds great!" Ochaco cheered. "Let's do it!"

Immediately almost all of the girls were on board, and enough of the boys agreed to it that it started. They grabbed the rest of the sugary delights to go and started to head out, while I remained in the kitchen.

"Kiyo-chan, you coming?" Ochaco asked.

"I'll have to pass," I apologized, "I really should clean up in here before things start to crust."

"I'll help," Shōto offered, stepping away from the group and heading towards the sink.

"She is _so_ your wife," Mina muttered.

"He hasn't even asked me on a date," I protested.

" _Wife_ ," Ochaco and Mina repeated together.

Shōto and I decided not to waste the energy in protesting, and the group headed off without us.

I turned on the hot water and started cleaning the dishes. I washed, while Shōto dried.

"Thank you," I told him quietly.

"Don't mention it," he responded. "You… doing okay?"

"Yeah."

He looked down at the dishes. "Good."

In comfortable silence we worked.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **In a quiet little farming town in Japan…**

The man had always been loyal to All for One.

Until the day he fell in love, that is.

Bit by bit his loyalty started to chip away as he started to enjoy life outside of being a hired killer. Then the day came he had a daughter, and he decided to retire.

Years had passed by and he thought he was in the clear. He thought his old boss would let him be in honor of his past years of service.

But that was not the case.

Because Death's Kiss visited his daughter and wife while he was away, with her dark red eyes like a devil.

She took everything.

He could only repay the favor.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **BONUS FWUFFY FWUFF OF FWUFFINESS - Ennichi Festival - this was originally posted on tumblr, but as promised I put it at the end of chapter thirteen.**

I yawned in my seat, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Eh? Sleepy?" Ochaco asked, taking her seat beside me.

"Mm. I guess. I had to stay up late last night."

"Huh? How come?"

"My aunties came over last night to adjust my yukata, but they ended up making a new one. I had to stay up last night while they took measurements, and fussed over it. I didn't get to bed until three and then I had to get up at four to help with farmwork." I gave another big yawn, resting my head on my desk.

Ochaco reached over and rubbed my back. "Sounds rough. How come you need a yukata?"

"Ah? Oh for the Ennichi Festival tonight—"

" _Eh?!_ " Ochaco's voice switched several octaves higher than usual as she squealed. "The Ennichi Festival is tonight?! Oh my gosh, _thank goodness I got my paycheck_. Oh I can't wait to go. So you're going, too?"

"Yeah, Sho-chan asked to go see the fireworks together," I answered her.

Ochaco squealed again, grabbing her cheeks. "Oh my gosh it's a date!"

"It's not a date," I corrected her tiredly. "Ugh. I need coffee."

Despite my insistence it was not a date Ochaco kept giving me a sly look, with my only reprieve when she went to go tell Toru about the festival outside of class. Even after the rest of our friends arrived and classes started she still occasionally shot me a smug smile.

As soon as classes ended that day I hurried home before she could tease me further.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Momo's perspective, before class**

Momo heard Ochaco and Toru shouting excitedly outside of the classroom. Curious, she approached them (wearing her standard gentle smile) and inquired, "Uraraka-san, Hagakure-san, you both seem very excited. What are you girls going on about?"

"Ah, Yaoyorozu-san!" Toru chirped. "I visited a shrine and there was a sign about the Ennichi festival that's happening this evening."

"Ennichi?" Momo repeated slowly. "It must be a shrine that is directly related to the religion of Shinto or Buddhism. They perform a special ritual there where food is offered. I apologize, I didn't know Hagakure-san was so deeply spiritual."

"No, to me Ennichi is all about the celebration and not so much the religion."

"Celebration?" Momo tilted her head in confusion. "But the festival should be all about preserving and continuing the tradition of remembering Buddha."

"Goodness, that's just _wro-o-ong!_ " Toru cried out.

Ochaco added, "Yaoyorozu-san you're way too serious about the history. You've got to be more open-minded."

"Yeah, our view of Ennichi festival is all about the fantastic food stalls. Okonomiyaki, yakisoba, you can feast on them all and be glad about it!"

"Ah, so that's what Ennichi festival is all about," Momo concluded, believing she understood now.

"It's good that you get it, do you want to come with us?" Ochaco offered, grinning hugely.

Momo's brow furrowed and she looked away. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to exclude myself from this get together. I don't think I have the opportunity to go this time around."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Eh? But it'll be so much fun," Toru whined.

Momo shook her head regretfully. "My mother definitely wouldn't allow it. She told me not to bother with the sweets and snacks the festival sells, because real dessert specialists can make better stuff than those unhealthy sweets. And also because you're bound to get sick from festival food."

"Your mom antagonizes the festival too much," Toru told her. "I think she made all the stall owners her enemy. Just throw back a bit and enjoy!"

"Enjoy?"

Ochaco frowned. "Um, Yaoyorozu-san, could it be that you have never been to the festival before?"

"No. Ever since I was a child I was told by my mother that it is not necessary to go."

"WHAT A WASTE!" Ochaco and Toru cried out, genuinely upset by such horror.

Ochaco was quick to follow up with, "How could you miss such a fun and tasty event?"

"Really! You do know that it's such a fun place, right? This festival is the essence of the Japanese spirit. It's the heart. As a girl, there's no way you can pass this chance to go."

"Oh…"

"Ah, Hagakure-san, let's stop pushing her," Ochaco said quietly, looking over at Momo's conflicted expression. "Yaoyorozu-san should have the right to decide for herself. It's her own choice whether or not to go. Yaoyorozu-san we're sorry if we made you uncomfortable."

"No, it's okay," Momo reassured them, her expression still conflicted as she thought about their previous statements.

Toru and Ochaco gave her bright smiles before taking their leave, deciding to invite the other girls in class. Momo watched them leave, wondering what she should do.

' _The Ennichi must actually be really fun_ ,' she thought to herself.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Later that night**

' _I-I can't believe I came here by myself_ ,' Momo thought worriedly to herself. She stood at the entrance of the festival, anxiously shifting her weight as she tried to work up the nerve to go in.

A part of her was thrilled—the festival seemed so exciting!—but another part of her was terrified of what her mother would say if she found out.

"Huh? Momo-chan?"

Momo looked over nervously at the voice, relieved to find that it belonged to one of her classmates, Kiyomi. The class rep had dressed up in a stylish red yukata, her hair swept up in a neat bun with a few curls poking out. Momo thought she looked cute in that, and seeing Kiyomi smile brightly at her made her reflexively smile back.

It was hard not to smile back at Kiyomi.

Momo waved at Kiyomi, not surprised to find Shōto—in casual clothes which seemed lackluster in comparison to how much Kiyomi had dressed up—beside her and holding her hand. "Hi."

Kiyomi's eyes brightened. "You look so adorable, Momo-chan! That yukata really suits you."

Momo blushed, looking down at her own dark blue yukata. It was something she had made on the fly, so she wasn't certain it was up to the standards of everyone else. It felt nice to be complimented on it, though.

Kiyomi nudged Shōto. "Doesn't she look pretty, Sho-chan?"

Shōto looked over at her. "You look very nice, Yaoyorozu-san."

Momo gave a small giggle at that. "Thank you both. Are you here on a date?"

"Mn-mn!" Kiyomi denied, shaking her head. "Sho-chan and I are here mostly for the fireworks. Did you come by yourself?"

"Oh, um, actually, yes," Momo admitted shyly. "I—I have never been to a festival, so, I, um." The young heiress couldn't resist fidgeting anxiously with the end of her sleeves.

Kiyomi approached Momo, taking one of her hands and intertwining her fingers. "Then why don't you spend the night with us? The fireworks won't happen for a while longer, and we can show you around the festival."

"Oh, I couldn't impose—"

Kiyomi gave Momo's hand a squeeze, her gaze softening. At times Momo felt like Kiyomi acted like a mother when she looked at others with that gaze. Her eyes sometimes appeared to belong to someone older, but still kind. "I insist."

Momo relaxed minutely under that look, giving a relieved smile. "Thank you."

"Mn! Don't mention it," Kiyomi said, holding out her other hand for Shōto to take it. Her childhood friend obliged, and the three of them began their journey into the festival.

Kiyomi swung their hands back and forth for a bit a she guided them towards the first booth. "Hehe! First thing's first and that's _food_."

Momo's expression momentarily clouded, recalling that her mother would detest her eating such "junk food" as she would call it. Kiyomi ordered three takoyakis and handed them to Momo and Shōto before keeping one for herself.

Momo automatically accepted the food, even as she reluctantly stared at it. Kiyomi seemed to be thoroughly enjoying hers—she was already nearly finished devouring it and was trying to steal some from Shōto who swatted her hand away with habitual ease.

When she noticed that Momo had touched any of her own food, however, she looked over at her with concern. "Momo-chan? Are you allergic?"

"Ah, no," Momo responded, biting on her bottom lip for a brief moment. "My mother wouldn't like me eating this kind of stuff."

"Hmm," Kiyomi hummed. "Well, sometimes what mothers don't know won't hurt them."

Momo gave her a scandalized look. "But—"

"Go on, give it a try. It's your first festival, you have to try all the food," Kiyomi insisted, a gleam in her eyes. Under Kiyomi's encouragement Momo took a tentative bite.

Momo's eyes widened. "Oh my! This is actually really good."

"Ri-ight? Festival food is always the best. 50-50 chance you'll get sick later, but it's completely worth it," Kiyomi said cheerfully.

Shōto wrinkled his nose at that. " _You're_ not the one holding back hair."

"And thank you in advance for that," Kiyomi giggled, playfully nudging Shōto. She also tried to swipe his last takoyaki but he quickly popped it in his mouth before she could do so. "How rude!"

"I will buy you another one if you stop trying to steal from me."

"But stolen food tastes so much better!"

Momo giggled at Shōto's exasperated expression. Kiyomi stuck her tongue out before her face brightened. "Let's try all the food now!"

"Okay," Momo agreed, curious and excited to see what else might taste as good as takoyaki. Kiyomi held Momo and Shōto's hands as they went to each food stall, and without fail she continuously tried (and never succeeded) to steal food from Shōto. It was entertaining for Momo to watch, finding their friendly banter and relaxed demeanour calming. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been incredibly nervous about coming to the festival on her own, but she was genuinely glad she had.

Near the end of the food stalls the trio took a seat at one of the benches. Momo rubbed at her stomach, letting out a content sigh. "All of that food was really great."

"Mm-hmm," Kiyomi agreed, leaning heavily on Shōto and sighing. "I could eat festival food my entire life."

"You'd get sick of it after a week," Shōto corrected her.

"Don't be a stick in the mud."

He reached over and tugged on her hair, eliciting an mock glower.

"Oh!"

The trio looked up to find Ochaco and Toru from their class heading over to them with their arms filled with food. Both girls were dressed in cute yukatas, with Ochaco wearing a pale pink and Toru a baby blue.

"Yaoyorozu-san, you made it," Ochaco said cheerfully. "How do you like it?"

"It's a lot of fun," Momo admitted with a smile. "Kiyo-chan and Todoroki-kun have been showing me around."

"If we knew you were coming we would have waited for you," Toru exclaimed. "Where else have you been? Did you see the games yet?"

"Oh not yet."

"You _have_ to come with us," Ochaco said, grabbing Momo's hand. It was impressive she was managing to hold all her food with one arm. She looked over at Kiyomi and gave the pinkette a wink.

Momo found it odd that Kiyomi's cheeks turned red and she looked away with a huff.

Toru, catching Ochaco's hint, grabbed Momo's other hand. "Yeah, c'mon. Let's eat together over here."

Momo smiled at that, happy that her classmates wanted to spend time with her. She felt bad about simply leaving Kiyomi and Shōto, however, since both were kind of enough to be her escorts. She looked back over at them. "Oh, I don't mean to simply leave—"

"It's okay, as long as you have fun," Kiyomi reassured her with a smile. "Text me before you leave and I'll walk you home, okay?"

"Thank you!" Momo responded, sincerely grateful for that offer. With a big smile on her face she allowed Ochaco and Toru to drag her off for more food and to play games.

It was truly a wonderful and memorable night for Momo.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Kiyomi watched the trio leave before she looked back over at Shōto and gave him a soft smile. "You want to go find a spot for the fireworks now?"

"Yeah," Shōto said. "Can you get us up there?" Shōto pointed towards one of the hills by the shrine.

Kiyomi took his hand and with ease she teleported both of them atop the hill in one of the trees. She took a seat on the sturdy branch, Shōto following suit. Their hands rested in her lap where she played with their fingers as they patiently waited for the fireworks.

Neither felt the need to break the comfortable silence. The weather was nice, the sky was clear, and the fireworks would be starting shortly.

"Kiyo-chan?" Shōto asked.

"Mn?"

He looked down at their hands, his brow furrowed. "You look very nice, too. Nicer than… than others."

Kiyomi giggled at that. "Thank you, Sho-chan."

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but the fireworks started and their attention was drawn up towards the sky.

They always watched fireworks together, after all.

And at the end of the night Kiyomi did what she always did after they would watch fireworks. She leaned over and kissed Shōto's cheek goodnight and said, "Thank you for taking me to see the fireworks."

"Always," Shōto promised her.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Artwork of the Ennichi Festival was drawn by thejunestone on deviantART, so check it out if you can!

Keeping everyone posted: I've finished my first draft of my original story (Dawn of the Rose)! It's at 345 pages when formatted, and I now have an editor going through it. You can read the first three (unedited) chapters on my wattpad (Darkpetal16) account, or see artwork for it on tumblr (Magic-of-Dawn-Official).

I did try writing out the super climatic battle between All Might and All for One, but I didn't like how it turned out. Plus there wasn't really any changes to it in my story so I didn't see a point to it.

 **Answer:** I'd want to be friends with Shōto or Izuku. Both seemed like steadfast and loyal friends. I'd want to be trained under Nezu because he strikes me as a really great teacher, someone who truly cares about his students.

 **Question:** What would be a good symbol for you? A flower? A cat? A laptop?

 _Reviews are_ _ **love**_ _!_


	14. Death's Embrace

**Grief and death touches all of us. How we mourn varies, but one thing remains the same: a loss of life is always significant, and however you deal with it is okay. It's okay.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

 **TRIGGER WARNING** : Death, gore, trauma.

It's time to add that angst seasoning, my dears.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My phone buzzed in class. It vibrated in a manner that let me know it was Baba who had texted me, so I immediately pulled it out and checked her message.

 _ **Stay at school tonight. Don't come home.**_

I frowned at that, immediately finding it odd. Baba knew I would still go home after school, if only to check on them. Especially since it was Tuesday, and a long ways away from the weekend. I may have moved into the dorms last week, but I still wanted to make sure my grandparents were okay. The fact that she told me not to come home was extremely strange, and I felt a sudden urge to check on her.

But, that would have to wait. I was in class, and Baba didn't use any distress words, or call me. It was a text asking me not to come home tonight, and for all I knew that could be because she and Papa wanted alone time. I'd still head there, though, and make sure they were okay. I would simply have to be sneaky about it.

I tucked my phone away and resumed my attention towards class.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When class was out that day, instead of heading back to the dorms I teleported to the front of my home, intent on peeking through the windows on Baba and Papa—as they would likely be watching their afternoon show—so they wouldn't know I had come by to check on them.

Then I screamed.

Fire.

There was fire everywhere. The entire farm was ablaze and smoke billowed upwards. Fear and horror shot through me and I barreled inside my home, frantically looking around for Baba and Papa.

"Baba?!" I screamed out. "Papa?!"

Silence greeted me and I searched where I could. Fire lapped at my legs, and smoke burned my eyes, but none of that mattered when Baba and Papa weren't answering me. I formed a bubble around me, shielding the worst of the flames and using another bubble to lift debris up from my home.

I went through my home, slowly and frequently calling out for Baba and Papa. I could smell sickeningly sweet pork, and my sense of dread doubled.

I went into their bedroom and all energy drained from me.

I found Baba and Papa.

(Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again.)

Or at least their heads.

(No, no, no, no, no, nono, nonono, nononononononononono—)

I collapsed where I stood, staring in horror and unimaginable grief at them.

( _Nonononononononononononononononononononononononononononono_ —)

Then the roof caved in and crushed their heads and I teleported out of my home, because I knew the rest of it would collapse soon.

(NONONONONONONONONONO **NONONONO** NONONONONO **NONONO** NONONONONO **NONO** )

I sat on the grass in the front of my home, unable to comprehend what I saw, and what I was still seeing. It was unimaginable.

It wasn't real.

It _couldn't_ be real.

I was in a nightmare.

That was the only explanation.

Any second I would wake up, and Baba and Papa would be alive and okay. Baba would make her special pancakes, and Papa would grumble about the weather. They would bicker with one another before greeting me with kisses and hugs, and wishing me a lovely day at school tomorrow. They would.

They would be alive.

They had to be.

( **NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNONONONONONONONoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNONONO** )

And then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder and I screamed in surprise because suddenly there was a firetruck and the fire from my home was being put out. There were paramedics around me, and neighbors from all over our community. The one who had placed a hand on me was one of Papa's childhood friends, a wiry man by the name of Takashi. "Kiyo-chan, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"This is a dream," I mumbled, staring up at his hand in disbelief. I didn't usually feel physical contact in dreams, but anything could happen, right?

Takashi's brow furrowed with obvious concern, and his wife suddenly pulled me into her arms. "It's okay, Kiyo-chan, we're here now."

"I have to wake up soon."

(Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain. Wefailedagain.)

Takashi's wife, Rika, murmured something to me, but her voice sounded distant.

(We _FAILED_ —)

(Ohwhywhywhyw—)

(It'salwaysthegoodones—)

(—wretchedworld—)

(— _disgusting_ —)

(nononononononononono)

Voices screamed in my head, crying out. They were in pain, each instantly reminded of their own trauma. They shrieked, yelled, and swore. Hatred, bitterness, and cold grief radiated off of each voice, bouncing off one another and creating a symphony of chaos in my head.

I could scarcely do anything else but get swept up in it.

(You're.)

(Not.)

(Dreaming.)

Their pain, and my pain, sang as one horrible orchestra and I shook my head, clutching at my ears and closing my eyes, wanting desperately to block it out.

 _It's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream,_ I chanted in my head. _It's not real. You'll wake up soon. Baba and Papa are okay._

"Kiyo-chan," Hanako whispered to me. "Kiyo-chan, where is your Baba? Kiyo-chan, where is your Papa?"

(Gonegonegonegonegonegonegonegonegonegonegone)

(Theyalwaysleave.)

(Always alone.)

(Thereis _noone_ )

(I miss them.)

( _Don'ttouchme!_ )

(nonononononononononononono)

(—I _can't_ —)

(—help, please—)

Tears sprung forth from my eyes, and I teleported again. The screams wouldn't stop, and the horrible stench of pork wouldn't leave my nose. I stumbled, and I looked at Shōto.

He was at his desk, and upon my entrance he looked up from his homework. "Kiyo— _your legs_!"

Shōto leapt up from his desk, surging towards me and staring at my burnt legs in horror. "Kiyo, what happened?!"

Then a soothing voice drifted over the chaos in my head.

(It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.)

It was joined by another one.

(You're okay. You're okay. You're okay.)

And another.

(It will be okay. Hush, little child. It will be okay.)

Tears sprung from my eyes and I lurched at Shōto, throwing my arms around his neck and sobbing violently. I cried, and cried, having no energy to resist or do anything else. All the strength left my body and Shōto had to catch me before I hit the floor. Shōto held me close, bewildered and confused. He squeezed me tightly as I hiccupped and cried so loud that others knocked on his door.

Then Izuku came in, and Eijirō, and Tenya, and they saw me crying, burnt, and bleeding, and one of them left and more came in.

They all came, my class, as I sobbed into Shōto. They murmured words I couldn't understand, and whispered sweet things that meant nothing.

I didn't know how long I cried until Nezu came in, and my classmates made room for the principal. He asked me, his voice breaking through my fog, "What happened?"

"B-B-Baba," I hiccupped. " _Pa-a-pa._ S-S-Someone _killed them_.. O-Only he-hea-a-ads. F-Fire."

Then I turned back into Shōto, ignoring the way a horrible coldness settled into the room, and I cried myself into exhaustion.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I rested my head in the Blessed's lap. Her normally sparkling green eyes were clouded with pain on my behalf. "It will be okay, Kiyomi."

"I should have gone home," I whispered. "I knew it was odd. Why didn't I go home?"

"Hush," she told me. "We do not have omniscience, and this is our first prolonged life in this world. There was no reason to believe something so horrible would happen."

"Who would do this? All for One?"

"No," she told me. "His protégé, at the moment, is not the type to strike at family members of heroes. Doing so in general is a taboo amongst villains, as it puts them on the Kill on Sight list for Hunter Heroes."

"Then why?"

"You were too distracted to notice, but we saw on your behalf," she told, leaning down and pressing her forehead against mine. She gave a wry smile. "Thank the Goggle Gods for that, at least."

My brow furrowed. "What happened?"

" _A head for a head_ ," she said. " _For Death's Kiss_. It was carved into their foreheads."

"Death's Kiss?" I repeated, then stiffened. " _Mother_?! That—that woman is the reason—?!"

"It is possible," she continued. "Targeting the family of an assassin won't typically put someone on the KoS List." Rage immediately filled me, and she soothed me quickly, "Deep breaths, my dear. Do not let rage taint your life. We know that will only ever end in pain."

I hissed, "What do you expect me to do? Because of _her_ —"

"Accept that it is not your fault. That is the only thing you need to do," she insisted. "Be vigilant, as well. If they targeted your grandparents, they very well may target you."

" _Let them come_ ," I snarled, voices around me echoing in agreement.

"We'll show them _true_ fear," the one with burning orange eyes growled out.

"Let them writhe in pain. Let them _beg_ for the mercy of death," another cried out in anger.

" _Enough_ ," came a young voice who sat beside Blessed. Her pale blue eyes cut through all of them, a level of determination in them that would never waver. "This is not the world for that kind of talk, nor is it our place. Let Kiyomi decide, not us."

One of the voices muttered, his voice low, "And if she chooses wrongly?"

"That is _not_ for us to decide," Blessed said sharply, her gaze softening as she returned her attention to me. "Everything will be alright, Kiyomi. You are not alone in this. Not only do you have us—do you have _you_ —but you have friends who care for you. Rely on them as you need to."

Another leaned forward, dark green eyes and a motherly smile on her face. "Baba and Papa would want you to be happy above all else. Never forget that they loved you."

"Never forget that _we_ love you."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I awoke with a pounding headache and numb legs. The memory of my conversation with the Blessed and the others was on the tip of my tongue and I knew I had to write it down before I forgot. I scrambled for anything, finding my phone on the nightstand beside me and quickly grabbing it. I texted to Nezu: _A head for a head / for Death's Kiss / it was on their foreheads._

With that taken care of, I let out a quiet sigh of relief and reassessed my surroundings. I soon found Shōto sleeping on a chair beside me, with Ochaco on a chair next to him. The lighting in the room told me it was well into the night. I recognized the nurse's room, surprised I was in it. Then I remembered I had burned my legs in my panicked search for Baba and Papa, and I glanced down to find them wrapped in gauze all the way up to the knees. I didn't have a lot of feeling in them, but I was relieved I could still wiggle my toes.

Someone had changed me, too. I was in a clean shirt and shorts.

I sat up slowly, looking over at my two friends who had apparently kept watch over me while I slept.

 _'I will not let them get to you,'_ I swore vehemently. ' _I will kill anyone who tries.'_

I hoped I would remember that promise. Taking a life would unsettle Kiyomi—me?—without our memories, but I had spent over a hundred lifetimes as a child soldier. Killing was easy, and doing it to protect someone was even better. I knew how to do make it quick, or not. I knew how to not get caught, too.

Unlike my biological mother _I_ did not leave loose ends.

(To take a life means you have failed to come up with another alternative.)

 _'I will do what I must to protect them_ ,' I retorted.

(Killing in this world is not the same as other worlds, and taking a life should never be easy.)

' _Like_ you're _one to talk,'_ I argued.

(Learn from our mistakes, or you're no better than an animal thirsting for blood.)

(But they would deserve it.)

(All life is sacred. We should not so easily take one.)

(It's not like we'll hunt them down. If they come for us then they would threaten who we love. We have to make sure they can't.)

(We cannot kill needlessly!)

(It would not be without need!)

As the voices in my head erupted into arguments, I resisted the urge to sigh. I laid back down on the bed and shut my eyes, hoping to try and get a bit more sleep or drown out the voices until they settled down.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When I woke up again, the only thing I could remember was falling asleep in Shōto's arms. Confused at where I was, I sat up slowly, and looked around.

 _'I'm in the… nurse's office?'_ I wondered. I looked down at my legs, as they felt tingly, and I was surprised to find them in bandages.

 _'Why am I—'_

A wall of grief and horror slammed into me as I remembered finding Baba and Papa. A choked cry barely escaped my lips before I stopped it. Hands flew up to my mouth as I tried to keep from retching as the god-awful stench of pork— _no, burning flesh—_ filled my nose. My stomach heaved and another choked sob escaped me, and suddenly Katsuki's hand was on my back.

I looked at him, tears spilling over from my eyes like a water spout I couldn't turn off. Katsuki's gaze was down, his brow furrowed, and a frown marred his face. He looked uncomfortable, and didn't say anything. He rubbed his hand up and down my back in short, jerkish motions.

"Bocchan?" I asked, my voice wavering. "I-It wasn't a-a dream?"

His face contorted into a glare, and he steadfastly looked at the ground. He mutely shook his head.

"Baba, and P-Papa are gone?"

He nodded, his hand pausing briefly in the back rub.

My hands fell away, and I bowed my head from the weight of grief that pressed upon me. "She t-texted me. T-Told me n-not to come h- _home_."

He didn't say anything, only kept moving his hand up and down in a robotic fashion.

"I thought it was odd," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I sh-should have—"

"Shut up."

I fell silent.

"Don't say stupid stuff, Bubblegum," he bit out. "Don't—" he took a deep, shaky breath. " _Don't_ say stupid stuff."

And the tears came, unbidden, and the crushing sense of failure pressed upon me like an old enemy.

(Failure)

(You could have—)

(You _should_ have—)

( _Shut up._ )

Tremors shook through me, and the tears continued to fall as I mourned Baba and Papa.

My only family.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Eventually the tears stopped, like they always did, and exhaustion enticed me like an old friend. I didn't give in, though, because I felt like I had slept enough. I couldn't bring myself to sleep and relax when Baba and Papa—Baba and Papa— _Baba and Papa_ were gone. Gone, gone, gone.

They were gone.

There were things to do.

Their funeral. The farm. I had things to do. Things I had to take care of.

So when the tears stopped, I wiped at my eyes, blew my nose, and got out of bed.

Katsuki watched me with narrowed eyes, dried snot and tears covering his shirt. "What are you doing, Bubblegum?"

"I ha-ave things to do," I told him, my voice cracking, and I felt an immediate rush of self-disgust for that. Baba and Papa were dead, and I couldn't even pick myself up enough to speak evenly.

 _'You couldn't save them, the least you can do is put them to rest in a timely manner,'_ I scolded myself. ' _They depend on you. You let them down.'_

(Stop thinking like that—)

 _'You let them down. Deal with the consequences.'_

I straightened my back, a sense of cold disgust curdling in the pit of my stomach. My knees were weak, and I could barely feel my wobbly legs. "I wi-ill be back."

"You need to sit the fuck down and let the doctors look over you," Katsuki ordered. "You're gonna pass out at any minute. You're already fucking swaying."

My head pounded and a wave of dizziness washed over me. I felt painfully tired. My lips curled back into a silent snarl. "I _need_ to t-take care of Baba and Papa. The rest of it can wait."

"You're acting like a bigger moron than usual," Katsuki snarled. "You think they'd want you to prioritize them _now_? They're _dead_. You're _not_."

" _I know that they're dead!_ " I shrieked at him. "I know the-they're dead, Katsuki! I know it. I saw them—I sa-aw them. I know they're dead. I kn-know they're dead." My bottom lip quivered as my knees gave out from exhaustion. Katsuki dove and caught me before I hit the floor too hard, and a choked sob crawled out of me. No tears came with it, merely a croaking gasp. "I kn-kn-o-ow. I kn-o-o- _ow_."

With tired, shaky hands, I gripped my friend's shirt. "Bu-ut I _have_ to. I—they— _pl-plea-ease._ "

"You need to stay in bed," Katsuki said firmly, gripping me and lifting me up in one smooth motion. He sat me back on the bed and continued, "You need to stay right here and let the damn doctors do their damn job. Everything else can wait."

I opened my mouth—

" _Everything else can wait_ ," he stressed. "Think with your tiny brain, not your bubblegum pop princess heart."

I closed my mouth, realizing there would be no arguing.

' _The sooner they get this over with, the sooner I can take care of Baba and Papa_.'

"Fine," I whispered. "Make it fast."

Katsuki nodded shortly and left the room. I sat on my bed, quivering from exhaustion, and taking deep breaths. Time jumped forward because somehow Katsuki had already arrived with Recovery Girl and Nezu.

My master hopped up to sit beside me, patting my hand with his soft paw. "Hello, Kiyo-chan. Chiyo-san is going to take a look at you, okay?"

Chiyo, otherwise known as Recovery Girl, gave me a smile. "Kiyo-chan, how do your legs feel?"

"Fine."

She lifted up the bandages over them and made an affirming noise. "I see you've already started healing. Good. The burns weren't too bad, so you should be okay in a few days."

Nezu looked over at Katsuki, who was hovering by the door. "Bakugou-kun, why don't you let your classmates know Kiyo-chan is awake? I'm sure she'll be up for visitors tomorrow."

Katsuki nodded and left.

"Chiyo-san?"

"Okay, but let her get some rest," Chiyo warned as she left the room.

Nezu turned to me and asked, "Kiyo-chan, do you remember about the message you sent me?"

I shook my head, confused. "No."

Nezu then patted my hand and said, "I'm sorry, Kiyo-chan, but I must insist I talk to Blessed."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Nezu**

Nezu watched as his beloved student's face clouded over once he used the key phrase. It wasn't something he did often because it put a strain on Kiyomi's brain, and sometimes Blessed didn't always provide the information. She was careful to cite previous errors in giving out information too freely.

Kiyomi blinked once, then twice, and then her eyes brightened like a sunrise.

"Hi again, cutie-patootie," Blessed said with a grin. "Kiyomi was too distraught to notice. It was likely retaliation against her biological mother. She's an assassin, remember? Not a very good one, though, clearly if she has loose ends." Her nose crinkled. "You shouldn't blindly leave loose ends, you know. People _always_ want revenge."

Nezu nodded in agreement (the sentiment of people wanting revenge, not the leaving loose ends part). "Is Kiyomi in immediate danger?"

"No clue!" Blessed chirped. "Don't worry about that, though. We'll take care of her. No one in this world is _too_ bad. Nothing like Maddie-hime at least." She shuddered. "Ugh. What a devil that man was, sex god aside."

"Last time you helped her, she was nearly killed by Noumu," Nezu calmly pointed out.

Blessed smiled. "I know, wasn't that fun? But, no, that wasn't really _us_. I mean, yes, we were there, but we didn't take over. We haven't since that spar against Cactus Boy and Sexy Nymph." Blessed's smile stretched a bit wider. "Don't worry! Kiyomi's life should be a good one. This is a nice world we're in, after all!" She paused. "Although a little violence would liven things up."

"I'm sure Kiyo-chan wouldn't want that, though," Nezu pointed out.

"Yeah. She's a good kid. Anyhow, whoever attacked the family obviously wants to get back at the mom. Not sure what good it'll do since the lady cut ties with her family long time ago, so I doubt she even cares, but the killer might not know that. It could simply be the principle of the matter, you know? So he or she probably _will_ come for Kiyomi, but we'll be ready."

"And by that you mean you will kill them?" Nezu asked, unable to keep the coldness out of his tone.

Blessed smiled again. "Heroes are great and all, but the whole leaving loose ends thing doesn't sit well with me. That being said, we'll let Kiyomi make that call. Once he's down for the count, whether the knife goes into his neck or shoulder will be all up to her."

Nezu quietly watched the old soul giggle, seemingly laughing at nothing.

'But _who can say what goes on in such a twisted head? Poor Kiyo-chan._ '

"I see," Nezu said. "Is there anything else I should be aware of?"

Blessed's eyes sparkled with mischief and Nezu _knew_ there was something. She smiled. "Nope! We'll let Kiyo back out now, okay?"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The next few hours were a blur. Police officers came by next, and asked me all sorts of questions. Nezu sat beside me during the entire ordeal, and when they left he asked me, "Kiyo-chan, do you have any other family?"

 _'Mother, and father, maybe?'_

"No," I responded. "No."

Nezu's tail waved side to side and then he asked me, "Kiyo-chan, given the situation I would like to assume guardianship over you. Is that okay?"

The question threw me off guard and I looked at the principal in surprise. His eyes were as kind as ever, and his soft paw gently patted the back of my hand in a consoling manner. He had become dear to me over the years, acting as a powerful mentor. I trusted him; relied upon him; and appreciated all the effort he put into me.

He was my teacher, my master.

And in a way, he was family.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, surprised by the sudden rush of emotions I felt. Truly, I was too exhausted to cry anymore, but that didn't stop my lips from quivering and my voice from cracking when I said, "Yes, please."

Nezu smiled kindly. "Okay. I'll take care of things, then. Please get some rest, Kiyo-chan. I promise you'll get to see your friends in the morning."

"O-Okay."

For the first time in a long, long time I had a dreamless sleep.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When I awoke, and was released to go back to my dorm room, I decided to go somewhere else.

I went back home.

I stood at the center of my home, now destroyed. I stood where the living room once was, and I imagined Baba and Papa sitting at the couch and watching the television. I imagined Baba having something baking in the oven, the sweet smell filling up the whole house. I imagined the sunlight pouring in through the windows, bathing everything in a warm glow.

I imagined Baba and Papa beside me, holding my hand and telling me that everything was going to be okay.

For the briefest of moments I thought I actually smelled Baba's sugar cookies in the oven.

But that second didn't last long.

I took a deep breath, surprised to find that I felt nothing. There was no sadness, anger, or… anything.

For that moment I was empty.

I knew that wouldn't last long. I knew I'd be back to crying, or snapping, or… _something_. While I was coherent, and able to focus, I had to do what I could. Baba and Papa would want to be buried on the farm, and they would obviously want the funeral to be held there.

Additionally I would have to rebuild the farmhouse. It'd been part of our family for generations, and I wasn't going to let a fire put an end to that. Only the house was burned down; our gardens and crops were virtually untouched. I stretched my arms up above my head, counted to ten, and then got to work.

I got out the heavy duty gloves from the shed, pulled on my spare work boots I kept in there, and summoned my bubbles.

Then I started to clear out the burnt wood, ash, and other debris.

I dumped everything in one pile, deciding I'd teleport everything over to a trash heap once I was done. Or maybe make one big bonfire and finish it off. Whatever I felt like doing in the end.

I worked quietly, and quickly. It was going to take a lot of time and effort to rebuild my home, and I wasn't the type of person to dawdle over something so important. I worked, and worked, my mind and thoughts blank as I moved my body. I worked until the sun was past the horizon and on its way to noon.

I didn't pause until I saw a handful of neighbors approach me, each carrying shovels or axes. They looked at me, and I looked at them, and then they started to work beside me.

They didn't talk.

I didn't talk.

We worked.

Noon came and some of the elderly ladies came up with food and warm smiles. They made me stop working, had me sit down beside them and force-fed me sandwiches and apples. They chatted as a group, telling me about their grandchildren, what happened on the latest episode of some soap opera Baba loved, and other unimportant things.

They held my hand and kissed my cheek. They wiped the grime and dirt off me and then they let me get back to work.

Time moved too quickly, because one moment they were waving me off after lunch and the next the sun was setting and I was being told to go back to school.

"We'll have this cleared away by tomorrow night, Kiyo-chan," one of the men, Aiji, told me. His wrinkled face crinkled as he smiled at me. "Get some rest."

"I'll be back tomorrow," I began, but then his wife, Ryoba, slapped my shoulder.

"You'll do no such thing. Your teacher called us asking about you. You shouldn't have left school without permission, Kiyo-chan," she scolded me. "Now you stay in school like a good girl, and we'll handle the rest."

"I—"

"We'll handle it," Ryoba insisted, gray eyes tinged with affection. "We loved them, too."

The lump in my throat made it too hard to respond, so I left.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When I teleported back into my dorm room, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I honestly looked like a walking disaster: my hair was in complete disarray, I was covered in dirt, grime, and ash, the circles under my eyes were darker than charcoal, my entire complexion was sickly and pale, and there was a minute trembling in my limbs from exhaustion.

 _'I need a shower,'_ I thought to myself. ' _Otherwise everyone will worry needlessly. If they do that then they might get in my way of rebuilding the farm.'_

I pulled out clean comfort clothes: baggy sweats, a huge t-shirt, and fluffy toe socks. I stuffed them all into my bathroom bag then headed into the bathroom. Thankfully no one ran into me on the way and I was able to take a long shower in peace. I cleaned myself as best as I could, but I couldn't untangle my rat's nest of hair.

Once I was dried off and dressed I debated on if I should eat or go straight to bed. I wasn't hungry, but I knew I ought to eat _something_.

The dilemma lasted a solid half hour before I finally decided to make a brief dinner then head to bed.

I headed into the kitchen, glancing at the time (11:53 PM).

 _'Late dinner_ ,' I thought. ' _But better than nothing, maybe? Ugh. What do I want to make?'_

Nothing sounded good. I flipped through the pantry, cabinets, and fridge repeatedly trying to find something that appealed to me. I repeated the process again and again, unable to settle on anything.

"Welcome back."

The dry voice drew my attention to the front of the kitchen where I found Aizawa standing there and looking at me with tired eyes.

"Thank you," I responded quietly.

"Next time, try this thing called asking for permission before you take off. Or at least bring a teacher with you," he muttered, shuffling into the kitchen.

"How'd you know I would be here?" I asked him. Aizawa didn't roam or patrol the dorms, so it was an oddity to find him there.

He gave me a humorless grin. "A rational conclusion." Then he held up his cellphone. "Ryoba-san was kind enough to let me know you teleported back. I figured you'd either take a shower then eat, or head straight to bed. You weren't in your room, so…"

I nodded, accepting such. "I apologize for any inconvenience."

"Don't apologize. Correct the behavior."

"Yes, Sensei."

He grunted at me. "Have you eaten?"

"No. Nothing looks good."

"Sit down."

I took a seat at the kitchen table. My teacher began to work around the kitchen, but I barely noticed. Between one blink and the next, he was done.

Aizawa set the plate of food in front of me, then sat down across from me.

"Eat."

I robotically began to do as told. Aizawa had made onigiri with some pre packaged dumplings. It wasn't the tastiest meal I ever had, but to be honest it was hard to notice any kind of taste at all. Aizawa watched me with narrowed, tired eyes, his face stoic. "You can't leave school without permission."

I didn't respond.

"Regardless of circumstances, what you did was dangerous and stupid. Especially considering the person behind your grandparents' death is still at large," Aizawa scolded me. "Do _not_ do it again, or you'll be in deep trouble."

I swallowed my food. "Yes, Sensei."

Aizawa sighed, and we lapsed into silence.

Once I was done eating, he took the plate and muttered, "Now go to bed."

Obediently, I stood back up. I pushed in my chair and headed back to my room. When I was outside the door, though, I hesitated. The numbness I had been dealing with all day started to melt away and I could feel my stomach knotting as I thought about going to sleep.

What dreams would await for me?

Would I revisit their burning faces?

Would they blame me? Accuse me?

Would the other faces join them?

I trembled, my hand hovering over the doorknob. I swallowed roughly, turned on my heel, and went to Shōto's room instead. His door was unlocked, and I slipped in quietly. I sat at his bedside, hesitant to wake him.

But he woke up on his own, groggy eyes blearily looking up at me. We stared at one another, and then Shōto abruptly sat up, wiping furiously at his eyes. He slapped his cheeks a couple times and once he was alert he stared at me with a furrowed brow. He reached out and cupped my cheek, his warmth immediately making me realize how cold I was.

I shivered.

He scooted in his bed and I crawled in beside him.

"I don't want to go to sleep," I mumbled.

"We can talk instead, if you want. Or we can watch something. Or I can read to you?"

"I don't want to watch a movie," I responded. _You'll fall asleep if we do_. "But we can watch a show."

For some reason Shōto could marathon certain shows. Everything else put him to sleep.

I laid my head onto his lap, and he placed a hand on my head, running his fingers through my hair. When he reached the first of many knots he started to gently untangle it. While the show played on the background, I closed my eyes and focused on the feeling of Shōto's fingers working through my hair.

He didn't say anything; didn't need to.

* * *

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* * *

I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep. Time was really slipping away from me, it seemed.

I was rewatching some silly cartoon, and then the sun was shining in my eyes and I was laying down in an empty bed. I knew I was still in Shōto's bed, but my friend was no longer there.

Turning my head, I was surprised to find Izuku was sitting criss-cross at the bedside, staring at me intently.

"Shōto's getting breakfast," Izuku explained. "He'll be back shortly."

My friend continued to stare at me with worry, and pain.

I hated to see him upset.

I reached up and placed my left hand on Izuku's cheek, gently wiping at it. My friend continued to look at me glumly, as if he was dealing with a particularly fragile piece of glass that was one good wind away from breaking.

"You should smile," I told him, reaching up and grasping his other cheek, "you look cute when you smile."

I pinched his cheeks and spread them apart to make him smile.

"Isn't that what heroes do?" I asked him. "Aren't they supposed to keep smiling through it all?"

Izuku tried out a smile, but I could tell there was no real warmth behind it.

I dropped my hands and sat up, brushing back the hair out of my face. "What time is it?"

"It's eight… it's also Saturday."

I blinked once, slowly.

' _Saturday? But wasn't I just at school on Tuesday?'_

Too much time had already passed. I had work to do.

Drawing back the covers, I stood up, wobbling for a couple seconds before I steadied myself. I was still dressed in my comfort clothes, so I'd have to go back to my room and change into some work clothes before I headed back to the farm.

Then recalling Aizawa's warning from last night, I decided to get _permission_ this time.

"I'm going to get dressed then talk to Cactus-sensei," I mumbled, "I'll keep my phone with me in case you need me."

"Wh-Why do you need to talk to Aizawa-sensei?" Izuku asked, standing up quickly. "I'll go with you."

"It's fine—"

"Kiyo-chan—"

I bit my bottom lip, turning back around to face Izuku. "I'm going back home. I have to get the farm fixed up before the funeral."

Whatever Izuku was expecting me to say, it clearly wasn't that. His eyes widened and he stammered, "But—But—"

"Izu-chan," I said softly, as kindly as I could, "this is something I have to do. Please… just understand that, okay?"

Izuku closed his mouth abruptly, his eyes bright. "Kiyo-chan…"

I headed out of the way, only barely hearing him say: "You look better when you smile, too."

* * *

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* * *

Permission was granted, but Aizawa had to come with me, and it would only be for a couple hours.

By the time we were ready to leave it was already near noon.

And the house was already cleaned away. Instead, only a plot of bare foundation was showing. The gardens were tended to, and I could see my fellow neighbors working around to begin reconstruction.

The whole thing moved me to tears, and they all converged upon me to offer me comfort and support.

"We'll make this presentable for the funeral tomorrow," one of them cooed at me. "Go back and rest, Kiyo-chan. We'll take care of everything."

I didn't want to go back. I really didn't. I wanted to stay and help and be _active_ , but everyone kept pushing me away.

I couldn't do anything, and I eventually went back to school with Aizawa.

I stayed in my room for the rest of the day.

* * *

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* * *

The funeral was lovely. It was on a warm day that wasn't too hot. Hardly a cloud in the pretty blue sky. There was food, big umbrellas and patio covers, tables, chairs, and plenty of people. Any other time it would have been the ideal time to BBQ, and party.

As it was, I spent most of that time staring off into the distance as I accepted condolences from everyone who ever knew Baba and Papa.

It was all such a blur. People were crying. People were laughing. Memories and stories were told, but I couldn't tell you what they said.

A lot of people talked to me.

I didn't really listen.

We didn't have a body to show, or any caskets. We had pictures that were blown up, and when it was time to "bury" their bodies, their names were instead engraved upon stone in the family graveyard.

Then I had to mingle and accept more condolences for a while longer until I simply couldn't stand it anymore and I left.

The family graveyard was kept a ways from the house, further into the forest that boarded between our farm and our immediate neighbor's farm. It was a little grove, well maintained and cared for. There were small stones lined up in order with names and dates on them, all of them kept clean.

Baba and Papa were added to the small group of stones.

There weren't actual bodies to bury. The fire thoroughly destroyed nearly everything but a few bones that the police were holding onto during the investigation. When the case eventually closed I would have them cremated and scatter the ashes over the farm.

But that was for another day.

Today I sat in front of what served as their graves, staring at their names.

They shared one stone, both their names carved beside each other on it.

It's what they would have wanted, after all. The two had been inseparable since childhood when Papa moved here from America.

My hands were folded neatly in my lap, and I continued to stare at their names.

I wanted to say goodbye.

I wanted to tell them I would be okay.

I wanted to tell them that I missed them.

That I would avenge them; that I was sorry I couldn't save them; that I loved them; that—

I had so many things I wanted to tell them.

But I couldn't bring my mouth to work.

So I continued to stare at the names.

How could I even begin?

 _'Why won't the words come to me? Why can't I say it? Why can't I say goodbye?'_

(Why doesn't—)

(Why can't it—)

(—never easy—)

(Bye-bye-bye-bye-bye)

This was it, wasn't it? This was when I had to say it, right? It was time to say it. It was time to say goodbye to them. So why couldn't I get my stupid mouth to work?

There was a soft crunch of grass and a warm paw touched my leg. Nezu patted me as he sat beside me. He tucked his paws into his lap as he sat in silence beside me.

' _I can't say it_ ,' I wanted to tell him. ' _Why can't I say it?'_

My lips moved, but no sound came out. I clenched my hands tightly into fists, nails digging deep into my palm.

We sat in silence beside one another for too many minutes. Long enough that it started to feel cool, and I couldn't hear the chatter of the party. I tried again, and again, to say it, but I failed every time. My nails had dug so deep into my hands by that point that I had repeatedly drawn blood.

Nezu stood up, and gently patted my shoulder. "I have to assist the others, Kiyo-chan. I'll check on you later."

I nodded quietly, my eyes never leaving Baba and Papa's stone.

As Nezu left someone else took his seat.

Shōto sat beside me, gaze forward and face firm.

 _'I don't want to say it.'_

 _'I have to say it.'_

 _'I don't want to.'_

 _'But I have to.'_

 _'Right?'_

I clenched my hands so tightly they trembled, and Shōto gently pulled them apart. He tucked my right hand into his lap, uncurling my fingers and softly touching the scratches I had created on them. He stared at them for a while, and then he looked back at Baba and Papa's stone.

I blinked and it was dark.

The crickets chirped, and the fireflies danced. The only light we had came from the lone paper lantern that had somehow appeared beside Baba and Papa's grave. Shōto still sat beside me, still holding my hand.

I looked at him, my voice cracking as I whispered, "I can't say it."

Shōto eyes met my own, steady and strong. "Say what?"

"I can't say goodbye."

"Then don't."

"But—"

"You can say it when you're ready to say it. Don't say it until then." Shōto looked down at my hand that he held, giving it a small squeeze. "They would understand."

The tears came for the first time that day, and I bowed my head. Shōto shifted, turning to face me before carefully pulling me into him. I curled into my dearest friend, quietly crying into his shoulder as he rubbed my back and held me close.

I felt a small kiss brush against the top of my head. "I'm here for you, Kiyo. I'll always be here for you."

"Always and always?"

"Always and always."

* * *

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* * *

The Kill on Sight is a bit of a headcanon I have. I doubt they would do away with mercenaries / bounty hunters in the bnhaverse, and I know for a fact some countries would probably be a-okay with their heroes killing certain villains.

It's okay, everyone. Baba and Papa didn't suffer in their final moments. I am sorry for leaving this chapter on such a sad note. I wanted to include another double update, with the second chapter being the movie, but for the life of me I couldn't find the movie ANYWHERE on the internet. So…

Here's some funny / cute quotes that may or may not cheer you up:

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 **NASA:** We know there's a huge fucking planet out there!

 **Me:** Awesome, where?

 **NASA:** *Points excitedly at space*

-Tumblr

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"Every time I talk about milk, I clarify 'not breastmilk.' It's unnecessary and it makes people uncomfortable."

-Jessokfine

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"What's more painful than heartbreak?"

"Earphones with only one side working."

-Tumblr

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" _Don't be bitter, be better._ That's where you're wrong fool, I can multitask and will excel at both."

-Yuri Plisetsky

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"The airport is a lawless place. 7AM? Drink a beer. Tired? Sleep on the floor. Hungry? Chips now cost $17."

Alyssa Limperis

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* * *

 **Elementary School:** Here's a basic understanding of history and how the world works.

 **High School:** Actually, that's not quite right. Everything is a whole lot more complicated than that, and Columbus was a dick.

 **College:** EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WROOOOOOOOOONG.

 **History Channel:** Aliens.

-Tumblr

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"My mind is like my internet browser. 19 tabs open, 3 of them are frozen, and I have no idea where the music is coming from."

-Tumblr

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More lovely happy fanart drawn by thejunestone(deviantART) / wattpearl (wattpad) of Kiyomi. Check it out if you can!

www DOT deviantart DOT com / thejunestone / art / Kiyomi-Marin-771922772

 **Answer:** A crystal dragon. Because I collect crystals, and I LOVE dragons.

 **Question:** Do you have a goal in life? A dream you want to achieve?

Reviews are **love**!


	15. Provisional License

**Hello little stars! Welcome back to this feel good story, where we will take a step back from the angst and return to the warmth. :)**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

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* * *

How did one mend a broken heart?

Time, said everyone. Time would heal everything.

They said what was broken could be whole again. They said, given enough time, everything would be okay.

(That was a lie.)

For the most part, they were right. Time did wonders to ease the ache, and give wounds time to close. Time was truly the best medicine, without a doubt.

But it was not perfect.

Because it could not heal scars.

No… scars stayed. They lingered with you, and at times they festered into infected wounds that grew into resentment and bitterness.

Time could help with that, for certain… but heal it?

No.

You did not heal scars.

You did not heal trauma.

You learned to live with it.

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* * *

The morning after the funeral was a quiet one. There was a dull ache inside of my chest that I wondered would ever go away. Even though each breath felt like hitting a bruise, I continued to breathe. As the pain remained, I got up for the morning. I got ready for classes that day as I would any other day.

My internal alarm clock and routine had me ready before anyone else. While most of my fellow classmates were still rolling out of bed, I was already in the kitchen and preparing my bento.

Tenya was the first to come into the kitchen after me. If he was surprised to see me, he didn't comment. Instead, he greeted me with a brisk, "Good morning, Kiyo-kun."

"Good morning, Tenya-kun," I returned, rolling my eggs inside the pan. "Would you like an egg roll?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

I dumped the first one onto a glass plate and held it out towards Tenya. The studious student thanked me for the roll, and added it to his admittedly large breakfast. The students _were_ provided a buffet in the morning to choose from, but we still had the option of using the kitchen to make our own food which was what I preferred to do. I whipped up more egg mix (eggs, soy sauce, sugar, salt, minced green onions) and poured it into the pan. As soon as it cooked enough on the bottom, I folded the egg twice over, and once it finished cooking I added it to a plate.

I finished three egg rolls when Izuku came in next. His surprise at seeing me was visible, and he immediately headed over to me and asked, "Do you want any help?"

"I'm just making lunches. Do you want some?"

"Ah—no thanks." Izuku shifted uncomfortably, still giving me a _look_.

I placed my chopsticks down to turn around and pinch his cheeks. "If you keep giving me those puppy dog eyes, I'll be forced to give you a doggy treat."

Izuku's lips twitched into a wry smile. "Woof?'

A giggle crawled out of my throat, raspy and odd. "Cute."

"Um, can I grill some fish for you, then?" Izuku offered, his tone a touch nervous as if I were a scared dog that might turn tail and run at any moment.

It was endearing, but not helpful.

"Sure," I said, sensing that my friend _needed_ to help me. He was dear to Baba and Papa, too, I had to remember. He was grieving for them, while at the same time worrying about me. I gave him a small smile, leaned forward and kissed his cheek in a sisterly manner. "Thank you, Izu-chan."

That got a true smile from him, his eyes brightening like a candle coming to life. "Mn! Always happy to help, Kiyo-chan."

"I know. You're a good boy."

We whipped up breakfast for ourselves (rolled eggs, grilled fish, and a small serving of white rice), and we made a little extra for our classmates. Shōto and Ochaco joined us shortly and the five of us (as Tenya sat with us, too) enjoyed a quiet meal.

As I ate breakfast, I thought about what I was going to do this weekend.

Obviously I wanted to finish reconstruction of the farm, but I didn't have much money. Insurance would cover the bulk of the cost, but I also had to consider the cost of the farm's upkeep afterward. Water, and power bills, homeowner insurance, and things of that nature. My job at the café paid decent but not enough to live on while I was still part-time.

Well, I could probably just not set up water and power, yet… at least not until I graduate. We'd be staying at the dorms, and I'd only visit the farm on the weekends to make sure it was still standing, and tend to the fields. Urk. Wait, I'd need to at least setup water for the sprinklers—

I chewed on my bottom lip as I considered my options.

I could wait to furnish it inside. Only really needed a bed for it, and the money I save I can use to cover the water bill until I graduate and can take a full-time job.

It seemed plausible, but it would ultimately depend on how much money I ended up spending rebuilding the house, and how much money insurance would pay out.

Since it was not only home insurance, but life—

Life—

Life insurance from both Baba and Papa I should have _enough_.

' _God_ , _I hope it's enough._ '

"Kiyo."

I raised my gaze up to Aizawa after I swallowed my last bit of the meal, the tired-eyed Pro Hero tilted his head back to beckon me toward him. I headed over, and when I reached him he said, "Go see Nezu."

Giving a slight nod to acknowledge him, I teleported right on over.

Nezu's office always struck me as a _bright_ place.

Not because it was filled with a bunch of lightbulbs, but it felt like it was _light_ and _goodness_. It was a clean place, and it always felt refreshing when I visited it.

It was big, but not overbearing. There was plenty of space, comfortable chairs, plants, and a massive window-wall that overlooked most of the school.

Upon entering Nezu's office, my long-time teacher—' _Guardian now, though_.'—greeted me with a gentle smile. "Hello, Kiyo-chan! Why don't you take a seat? I've got your favorite rose tea made."

' _Rose tea?_ ' I thought. ' _He only ever does that when he's about to give me an exorbitant amount of homework… or ask for help organizing his paperwork._ '

Feeling decidedly suspicious, I slowly took my usual seat in front of his desk. I smelled the cup of rose tea almost immediately, and noted that there was a tray of petit'fours beside it.

' _Cake_ and _tea? What's going on?_ '

Nezu gestured for me to try some of the tea, and I reluctantly did so.

' _Ah… delicious as always,_ ' I thought, feeling some of my stress melt away from the delightful taste of rose tea.

"I have quite a bit of paperwork to go over with you," Nezu said, opening up a binder. "But before I get into that, I wanted to talk to you about your part time job at the café."

"What about it?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to quit," Nezu gently told me.

My heart faltered for a moment before it picked back up, beating loudly and painfully inside of my chest. I gripped my teacup tightly with my sweaty palms, trying to squash down my growing anxiety.

' _Without that job, I can't pay for the farm—_ '

"I am aware of why you need that job," Nezu continued, "and so U.A. will offer part time services instead. Granted, there's not much we can have you do, so your hours will be much less significant here. To compensate, we've calculated a better pay rate so you should ultimately receive the same amount of weekly pay."

I took a deep drink of my tea, trying to settle my nerves. "What would you have me do?"

"Help my secretary with paperwork on the weekends," Nezu responded. "All things considered, it was decided it would be better for your safety if you remained at U.A. as much as possible."

I couldn't really argue against it.

With a slow nod, I accepted this. "Okay. Thank you, Shishō."

Nezu waved me off. "No problem! I'll talk to the other students who are working part time later. Ahum, let's start with the first bit of paperwork. The life insurance, along with the house insurance has finished processing. Although the money will technically go to me, I'll give you complete access to it. I've no doubt you'll be wanting to rebuild your farm with it."

Chewing on my lip, I nodded. Nezu knew me well enough to know my intentions—although I certainly hadn't been hiding them with my actions the past couple of days.

I opened up the folder and looked at its contents.

I let out a sigh.

' _It will be enough_.'

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

The class of 1A had gathered in the main common room after breakfast that morning (I returned the last ten minutes prior). Aizawa was going to give us a run down of how we would be spending the rest of our summer break.

Aizawa mentioned that starting this week we would be doing some "extreme" training. Our first week back was spent going over what happened, and giving everyone time to adjust. Of course I only spent about two days doing that before I had to deal with… Baba and Papa.

He concluded his brief summary of what we were doing with, "Get dressed in your hero costumes and meet me outside."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My hero costume hung in its locker, untouched. The other girls had already gotten dressed and left, but I remained.

Izuku and I had spent days designing this outfit. We had all sorts of ideas and we drew for hours on end. Baba, Papa, or Inko would make us snacks and watch us work, amused by what we made.

I had wanted to be a magical girl. Those optimistic heroes who were like beacons of hope to their world.

It was silly.

But I loved it.

When the time finally came for me to first try it on, it wasn't U.A. who made it for me.

It was Baba.

When it got destroyed, or ripped up in training, it was Baba who fixed it.

It was so odd.

Really… really… so odd.

I couldn't bring myself to put it back on. My hands trembled every time I moved to grab it, and a sick knot twisted inside my gut.

I couldn't bear it if I had to watch it get destroyed again.

I couldn't bear it if I had to watch Baba's creation _for me_ get destroyed.

That's what it was supposed to be doing, though, right? It was meant to get beaten up and—

' _I can't,_ ' I realized, my eyes burning. ' _I can't lose her again.'_

It was so _silly_.

Fabric. I was going to cry over _fabric_!

"Yoo-hoo? Kiyo-chan are you decent?"

I startled at Nezu's voice from the entrance of the locker room. "U-Uhum, yes."

"I'm coming in, then!" the principal sang, entering the locker room. He dragged a white case bigger than him behind him. He waved cheerfully at me. "Hi Kiyo-chan."

"Shishō," I greeted hesitantly in return. "What's going on?"

"A present for you!" Nezu chirped, sliding the case over to me. "It's a different hero outfit."

"A—"

"I remembered who made your cute one right there," Nezu continued, "and I thought my precious little student might want to use something different. So then I thought maybe make another one exactly like what Mimi-san made, but that might still be hard for you, and so…"

Nezu opened the case. "For you!"

Inside was a brand new hero outfit.

"I designed it myself with you in mind. You don't have to use it, but—"

"Thank you," I blurted out, my heart swelling as the knot from my stomach eased. "Thank you so much!"

"Maa. Why don't you try it on? I'll be waiting outside!"

"Y-Yes, Shishō!"

The first part of the ensemble was a pair of sturdy shorts that were a dark red that matched my eyes. It was accompanied by matching red sleeveless under armor shirt. The fabric was breathy enough I could comfortably wear it during intense workouts.

There was a long black cloak, er, robe that I would wear over these two things. It went all the way down to my ankles, and had a slit up front that went up to my abdomen to make it easy to run in. From the abdomen down it would open up a bit like a cape, it seemed. It was thick, had long wide-ended sleeves.

To be frank it looked like a proper witch's robe, which made me smile.

After slipping those on, I noticed the black arm guards, tall black all-terrain boots with built in shin guards, and even taller thick red socks. Given my habit for engaging in melee combat, it seemed Nezu had decided to properly gear me towards that.

At the bottom of the case was a pointy black witch's hat with a cute thick red bow tied around it, and a very stylish red scarf that I tied around my neck like a bow.

Papa and Baba always thought I looked cutest with bows, so it made me smile getting to add a little bit of them into the outfit.

Once I was dressed, I noticed there were a few more things inside of the case. The first was a new thigh wrap—very similar to what I used to hold my wand, except it seemed to be made for the other leg—and the second was a red metal rod about thirty centimeters long (twelve inches). I picked it up, curious about it. Feeling along it, I found a barely noticeable button on the side, and I decided _against_ hitting it.

The last item was a red belt filled with pockets, and each of those pockets were filled with pellets.

Deciding I should probably _not_ test anything out on my own, I headed out of the locker room towards Nezu. "Shishō, what's this? It's filled with pellets…?"

"The pellets, when thrown to the ground, will explode outwards. The green ones there are foaming pellets, used to put out fires," Nezu explained happily. "I think all heroes should carry some of this stuff around, but unfortunately not a lot do."

"How come?"

"They can be… expensive."

I paled. "Shishō, how much money did you put into this?"

Nezu laughed lightly. "Who can put a price on becoming a good hero? Ah, don't worry my adorable student. The foaming ones are pretty cheap, so you can rely on those."

"And the others—what others are there?"

"The red ones are explosives," Nezu continued. "They're meant to help clear away debris, or if really need be, use against a very powerful villain. The blue ones are smoke screens. Yellow ones emit an incredibly powerful light to temporarily disorient enemies. Lastly the white ones are liquid nitrogen."

I let out a small eep at that, resisting the urge to throw the belt away. "Why are you giving all of these to me? I shouldn't learn to rely on things I won't be able to afford once I graduate."

"Whatever makes you think you won't be able to afford these?" Nezu questioned, laughing once again as I grew more flustered.

" _Shishō_!" I hissed out nervously. "I can't—this is really too much—"

"One of my students is being targeted by an assassin, and has already been kidnapped by the league of villains," Nezu cut in. "As your guardian, I am allowed to pay extra for U.A. to supply you with these things. If there is ever a day when those things save your life, or someone you care about, then they will have been worth every penny. And if that day never happens, then I can at least rest assured that I did everything in my capacity as teacher and guardian to ensure _your_ safety."

Nezu then brightened. "Besides! Since these are still in prototype stage, you're doing the company a favor by live testing them."

Hesitantly, I asked, "Prototype? Um, Shishō… these things aren't going to randomly blow up, right? Like, if I get knocked to the floor and land on a packet of them…"

"The pockets on your belt are lined with special insulation to keep them from breaking while inside," Nezu reassured. "Even if that does happen, none of them are deadly enough on their own to kill _you_."

Feeling more reassured, I offered him a smile. "Oh. Thank you. Um—Shishō… _really_. Thank you for this. I promise I will do what I can to make the most use of it."

"That's what I like to hear. Oh, did you see your new staff?"

"Oh, this?" I asked, holding up the short stick. "It's a staff?"

"Press the button!"

I hit the button I found earlier and the staff expanded outwards. To my surprise it was actually a solid five centimeters taller than me. "Oh, wow. What's it made of?"

Nezu whistled innocently. "Oh, this and that."

My stomach dropped. "Shi—Shishō… I'm not… I'm not holding something more expensive than my house, am I?"

Nezu started to whistle louder and walk away.

"Sh-Shishō, no!"

"Shishō, yes!" Nezu laughed cheerfully. "I can't return it. Might as well use it! Head on over to the gym, dear Kiyo-chan."

"But—"

"With a good staff—and you can keep it in your other thigh holster—you don't have to waste your bubbles to make a weapon. You're proficient in a multitude of weapons, but I thought a staff would be the best for you," Nezu told me, his tail wagging behind him. "You can use it, can't you?"

I nodded reluctantly, still disliking so much money being spent on something that would probably get destroyed in a year. It made my stomach churn unpleasantly, but—

' _But if I can use it to save someone… does anyone's life really have a price on it?_ '

When I thought about it like _that_ , it didn't bother me so much.

Still…

' _I'll just have to make sure I can make enough money when I graduate so I can afford all of this on my own, and pay Shishō back!_ '

Feeling decidedly determined, and oddly optimistic, I rushed forward toward Nezu and scooped him up in a hug. I kissed the top of his head and said with all my heart, "Thank you!"

He patted my arm with his cute little paw and said, "Don't mention it."

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◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Since I arrived later than everyone, by the time I got there all the students of 1A had split off into separate groups. Aizawa stood at the entrance, along with Plasma, and was waiting for me to arrive. Neither appeared surprised by my change in outfit.

"Yo," Aizawa greeted me flatly. "Follow Plasma's clone and work on your ultimate. I know Nezu-san's already discussed such with you."

I gave a short nod. "Yes. An ultimate is a special move unique to the hero that is used to turn the tides of battle, yes?"

"In short, yes. We're going to be spending the rest of our break developing ultimates. In about three weeks you all will be taking the provisional license exam, so you need to have mastery of your ultimate by then," Aizawa informed me. "Any questions?"

With a short head shake, Aizawa nodded toward Plasma who made a clone. The clone headed off, and as we moved I glanced around the "gym." Like with many of U.A.'s facilities, it was impressively large, glamorous, and filled with unique terrain. This particular gym was comprised of an all concrete floor that could be adjusted to rest at different levels by Cementhead. Some of my classmates were high up in the air, on the top-most rocks, and others were on the ground working hard.

I followed behind Plasma's clone, tucking my hands behind my back. Of course I already had a good idea about my "ultimate" move, but—

"Ultimate, huh?" I repeated, partially to myself.

It was something that had been mentioned here and there. I remembered Aizawa complaining about his past students being unimaginative with their 'ultimates.' I knew what it was, and I had given it some thought.

That being said, I wasn't quite sure if what I had in mind worked as an ultimate.

Tentatively, I asked Plasma's Clone, "Can you listen to my idea first? I don't know if it would count, or not."

The clone nodded its head, "Go ahead."

"Well," I said, summoning two of my bubbles and stepping onto them. One bubble wrapped itself around the bottom part of my boot, stretching up part way the back of my calf. The other bubble mimicked the movement but on the opposite foot.

I used the bubbles to step up into the air, and I hovered for a couple seconds. "S-Something like this? It's not really flashy, I know, but—"

"No, I like it," the clone said. "Previously you would use one of your bubbles to create a singular platform, but that limited your mobility. With one on each foot you'd be able to control yourself freely in the air. Ultimates aren't meant to be flashy and purely offensive moves. They are meant to turn the tide of battle in your favor, and I think that this will definitely work for you. What would you call it?"

"Petal Step (Hanabira Sanpo - 花びら散歩)?" I squeaked out. "'Cause they—they're pink like flower petals and they'd help me walk in the air?"

The clone nodded. "Very good. Short and simple. How well can you maintain it?"

"It's a bit tricky," I admitted. "It's like—"

( _Learning how to water-walk_ —)

( _Learning how to fly—_ )

( _Learning how to move without thinking_ —)

"—something I can't let myself consciously think about. I have to be able to do it without putting a lot of thought into it, otherwise it'd be too hard," I finished quietly. "I don't have that level of control over it, yet, though."

"Then that is what we'll be focusing on. I will attack you, and you must dodge me in the air," the clone concluded. "We will begin when you are ready."

"Y-Yes sir!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Several days into our training, there was a commotion towards the front of the gym. It made me pause in mid-combat with Plasma, turning my head towards it. "Huh? What's going on over there?"

"Looks like 1B arrived earlier than expected. Pay it no mind right now, Kiyo-chan," Plasma's clone advised. "Although… You've done considerable improvement in your Petal Step, I believe."

That made me smile. "Thank you!"

"Have you thought about a name for your staff?"

I looked down at it, giving it a couple spins. "Um, I was thinking Cherry (チェリー)?"

"Saki, Petal Step, and now Cherry?" Plasma's clone mused. "Got a theme in mind, Kiyo-chan?"

"Spring," I admitted shyly. "I want to be someone who brings hope, and when _I_ think of hope, I think of spring. A bit silly, I know."

"No. It's good to have a style in mind to work towards," the clone disagreed. "So something like: Saki - The Spring Witch?"

I beamed. "That's the dream now."

"Ah. Well, why don't we end it here? Head back to the locker room and enjoy the rest of the night."

"Mn, thank you, Sensei!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Later that night, after I changed into my pajama shorts and shirt, I visited Shōto to chat for a little while. My dear companion was resting in his room, reading a book about thermology at his desk. I pulled up a chair to sit next to him. "Hey."

He lowered his book and said, "Hello. How was training today?"

"Went pretty good," I admitted to him, smiling. "How about you? Any progress on your ultimate, or controlling your flames?"

Shōto turned towards me and ignited a small fire in the palm of his hands. It momentarily startled me at the suddenness, and Shōto jerked his hand away when he noticed. "S-Sorry. Does it bother you?"

" _Your_ fire doesn't bother me," I soothed him. "I just wasn't expecting you to use your Quirk so suddenly. But that's impressive you can conjure a small flame. You normally couldn't do that without burning your entire side!"

Shōto's lips tugged upwards in a small smile. "Yeah. It's getting better."

I beamed at that, proud of him for making such progress. "Well done! Say, after we get our licenses, shall I make a celebratory dinner? I'd offer to take you out, but we can't really leave campus."

"How about I cook?" Shōto suggested instead. "I promise I can make things edible now."

That made me giggle, recalling the last time Shōto cooked for me: he accidentally used a non-tempered glass pan that ended up exploding in the oven. "Okay. You make the dinner, then."

He nodded curtly at that. "Good. Are you cold? You have goosebumps."

A quick glance at my arm confirmed I did indeed have goosebumps. I hadn't even noticed I was cold until Shōto pointed it out. "Oh, yeah, apparently I am. I'll head back to my room to get a sweater in a sec."

But Shōto was already up and pulling out a black hoodie before handing it over to me. "Here. You can sleep in this tonight."

I gratefully accepted the hoodie. Not because I needed it—I had clothes of my own—but because I always preferred to wear Shōto's stuff over my own. His clothes always smelled so much nicer, and was oddly more comforting.

Slipping it on, I couldn't resist giving it a conspicuous sniff.

"Why did you sniff that?" Shōto asked me, his face deadpan.

"Oops. Sorry, reflex," I apologized, blushing from embarrassment. "It's just, your stuff always smells _so_ nice."

"Yours smells better," Shōto informed me.

"I 100% disagree with that."

"Then you're wrong."

"I am not," I insisted. " _Anyone_ would agree with me."

"Really?" Shōto asked, dubious. "I don't think Midoriya-kun would."

"Let's ask him, then," I said, standing up with a huff. I marched out of Shōto's room, went across the hall, and knocked on Izuku's. "Izu-chan, open up! We have an important question."

By the time Shōto caught up with me, a wary Izuku opened up his bedroom door. "Yes?"

I shoved Shōto's hoodie's sleeve in his face. "Doesn't this smell _way_ better than my clothes?"

"Uh," was all Izuku could say for a solid thirty seconds. "Um. _No_?"

"See?" Shōto told me, gesturing towards Izuku. "Yours smell better."

" _Ugh_! I can't believe you've betrayed me like this, Izu-chan. I thought I've raised you better."

"Um." Izuku blinked. "So-orry? Wait, were you arguing over who _smells_ better?"

At our nods, Izuku rubbed his forehead and said, "I think you two should go to bed now."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

A week and a half later it was time to head out for the provisional license exam. Class 1A gathered together and headed out to the edge of the city. When we got off the bus we immediately noticed hundreds of other students heading into a massive red and yellow dome.

Some of my fellow classmates were nervous, and others were excited. I remained a bit in between. I had confidence in my ability to pass, but it'd be arrogant to think I would be passing without issues.

Aizawa addressed our class once we got off the bus. "If you can pass this test and get your provisional licenses, then you novice eggs will become chicks. You'll hatch into semi-pros. Do your best."

Denki gave a splitting grin, eyes bright. "Yosh! I'll become a chick."

"Alright everyone," Eijirō cheered, "Let's all call out the usual. Ready, set: Plus—"

"ULTRA!" cried out a voice of a tall, energetic student from behind Eijirō. He was easily taller than anyone else in 1A, and dressed in a different school's uniform.

Behind him were a few of his classmates, and a short boy with purple-gray hair brushed over his left eye muttered, "You shouldn't just barge in on other people's huddles, Inasa."

"Oh no," the tall boy with the dark blue school cap said. He straightened his back, and then bowed down so hard his forehead slammed into the concrete below. "I AM VERY EXTREMELY SORRY!"

"What's with this guy trying to get by with just his enthusiasm?" Denki stuttered, pointing at him.

Kyōka's eyes widened beside Denki. "That uniform…"

"It's from that famous school in western Japan…"

"U.A. in the east, Shiketsu in the west."

Shiketsu was U.A.'s rival school in Japan. It was an elite, prestigious school, and the principal of it was good friends with Nezu. I didn't know much about Shiketsu aside from those couple of things, though. It wasn't even a consideration to go, since U.A. provided me with a scholarship.

(And I would always be a dedicated fan girl, praise be.)

"I'm sorry!" the energetic boy—Inasa—exclaimed, a passionate fire about him. "I just wanted to say it once, _Plus Ultra._ I _love_ U.A. high school! I am extremely honored to be able to compete against U.A. students! I'm looking forward to it!"

Everything about Inasa screamed _loud_ and _youthful_.

"Be careful," Aizawa muttered to us as the Shiketsu students headed away. "He's powerful. He's a first year like you, and achieved impressive grades during the entrance exam. But for some reason, he turned down his invitation to join U.A.."

' _Why would anyone do that? Especially if they claim to love something?'_ I thought to myself, perturbed. Something about the boy made my brain itch, like I was forgetting something important.

( _An old promise to keep_.)

( _Someone who throws away what they love, to pursue hatred—_ )

' _Why give up something you love?'_ I thought to myself. ' _Life's too short to do that. What could be so important to turn away from something so precious to you?'_

It bothered me, and for some reason it made me reach out and grab Shōto's hand. My best friend glanced over at me briefly, but allowed me to hold his hand. I even shifted to stand closer to him, my brow furrowed as I thought.

' _Am I overthinking it?'_

( _Another lost little duck_.)

"Eraser? It's you, isn't it, Eraser?!" A cheerful voice sounded from a good distance away, drawing our attention. A young woman with mint-green hair dressed in a clown-like costume approached us. Her odd color combination of orange and green made her really stand out from the crowd, especially since she seemed to be approaching Aizawa with a big smile on her face.

"I've seen you on TV and at the sports festival," she said, and I tried to remember if my favorite cactus had mentioned her before. "But it's been awhile since I've seen you in person."

When she reached him, she gestured between the two of them and said, "Let's get married!"

"No," Aizawa flatly rejected, irritated.

"No? Good one!" the woman laughed.

"You're hard to talk to, as usual, Joke," Aizawa muttered.

' _Oh. Ms Joke. The heroine who can make people uncontrollably laugh,'_ I recalled. Aizawa had only briefly mentioned her every now and then, but most of what I knew about her came from Izuku's fanboy tendencies.

Ms Joke beamed as she gave Aizawa a big thumbs up. "If you marry me, then we can make a happy family with never-ending laughter!"

"A family like that can't be happy," Aizawa said.

"You two seem close," Tsuyu observed, tilting her head.

Ms Joke never lost her wide grin. "Our agencies used to be close to each other. In our cycle of helping and being helped, our mutual love for each other bloomed—"

" _No, it didn't_ ," Aizawa stressed.

"Oh, I love your quick retorts! You're so much fun to tease."

Shōto noticeably shifted his posture away from Ms Joke. "If you're here, I take it your students are with you?"

Ms Joke nodded and gestured behind her. "Oi, come on over, kiddos! It's U.A."

Behind Ms Joke, now heading towards us, were a dozen or so students in gray uniforms. Leading the group was a boy—about Katsuki's height—with short wild black hair, and dark eyes. He had a smile on his face that made me yearn to pull out my new staff and grip it tightly.

The fake-smiling boy said in a too-sweet-to-be-real voice, "Oh, it really is."

Behind him was a cute blonde girl in spiky pigtails. She excitedly tapped the other boy's shoulder and said, "Wow, that's amazing. I've seen them all on TV!"

"Ketsubutsu Academy, second years, Class 2," Ms Joke introduced proudly. "They're my class. Please be kind."

As the group reached us, the black haired boy reached forward and took Izuku's hands. "I'm Shindo! U.A. this year's had trouble after trouble, so it must've been tough."

Before Izuku could respond, Shindo began to move down the line, taking each hand and saying, "But even so, you all are still aiming to be heroes like this, huh? That's wonderful. A heart of fortitude is what I believe all heroes should have from now on."

Shindo turned to Katsuki, his slimy smile stretching a bit wider. "From among you, there's Bakugou-kun, who experienced being the center of the Camino incident. You have an especially strong heart." Shindo extended his hand towards Katsuki. "Today, I'll do my best while learning from you."

Katsuki slapped his hand away and growled out, "Stop pretending. What you're saying doesn't match the look on your face."

"Oi, stop being so rude," Eijirō scolded Katsuki. "Ah, sorry for his rudeness."

"It's fine," Shindo said. "It just proves how strong his heart is."

The blonde girl from the academy rushed towards me and Shōto, all bubbles and smiles. "Ne, Todoroki-kun! Can I have your autograph? You were so cool at the sports festival. Eh! You're holding hands—?"

Her eyes turned towards me, big and sparkling. "You were really cool, too! Marin-chan, right? Can I have your autograph, too?"

"Um," Shōto and I said.

The boy beside the blondie sighed and said, "Stop being such a fangirl."

"Oi," Aizawa cut in. "Change into your costumes and go to the orientation. Don't waste time."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

We changed into our upgraded costumes, and I noticed all the little adjustments my classmates had made to better incorporate their ultimate moves. Our class gathered in the massive gym that was filled with well over a thousand other participants.

We stuck close together, and I resisted the childish urge to reach out and grab one of my friend's hands. Being in such a crowd was disorienting, I wanted to teleport up into the sky to breathe.

The participants fell into a hush when the proctor began to speak into the microphone. "Well then, let's do that provisional license thing. I'm Mera from Heroes Public Safety Commission. The kind of sleep I like is non-REM, it's nice to meet you. I've been so busy that I haven't gotten much sleep… About the content of the provisional licence thing… Frankly, all 1,540 examinees here will have to win through a free-for-all exercise.

"Our society is currently said to be saturated with heroes, and ever since Stain was arrested many have shown doubts about the current state of heroes. Well, as a private citizen, no matter what the motivation, to tell someone risking their lives to save others not to seek any reward is… It's the ruthless story of these modern times. But anyway, whether it's for compensation or loyalty and courage, the result of many heroes working hard together to help people and defeat villains is that, right now, the time from when an incident begins to when it's resolved is so short that it'd make you sick. You who are about to receive your provisional licenses are about to finally throw yourselves into those rapids. Those who can't keep up with that speed will frankly have it tough. Accordingly, what you'll be tested on is speed.

"The first hundred to fulfill the requirements pass. Well, a lot has happened to the world, and you know about luck and everything… So anyway, here are the requirements."

Behind him the screen displayed an outline of a person and a disc object being placed on said person.

"The examinee will put three of these targets on his or her body. They can go anywhere as long as it's an exposed area. You can't put them on the soles of your feet, or in your armpits. You will also have six balls. The targets are made to light up if they're hit by these balls, and if all three of your targets light up, then you're out. The person who lights up your third target will have it count as their victory. You get through this round by defeating two people. That's it for the rules."

' _Okay. That's pretty simple,'_ I thought to myself. I could easily use my bubbles to defend myself, or teleport out of range.

"After we've opened up, we'll pass everything out. Then we'll start in one minute after we've gotten to everyone," the proctor finished.

"Open?" Shōto repeated quietly beside me, just as the walls and ceiling of the gym began to fall backwards. The building opened up to reveal and even _larger_ —like the size of U.A.'s campus big—arena filled with multi-terrain. There was an industrial area in the far back, water in another part, mountains, cities… etc.

The targets and balls were passed out. I placed mine on my chest and abdomen to make it easy to defend. Class 1A stayed close together as the other participants broke off when they received their targets.

"Kiyo," Shōto said quietly, "come with me. You're the only one who knows how to fight alongside my Quirk."

I gave a small nod, looking over at my fellow classmates. "Mn. Okay. I'll follow you, Sho-chan."

"Everyone," Izuku called out, "don't get too separated. Let's move as a group."

"Yeah!"

"Right!"

"Yeah, right, this isn't a field trip," Katsuki snapped, running off in a random direction.

"Idiot, wait up," Eijirō shouted, chasing after him, with Denki following behind the two.

"We're heading out," Shōto said, breaking into a steady jog away from the group, with me right behind him. "Kiyo-chan and I work best together."

"Now is not the time for hanky panky with your waifu," Mina exclaimed.

I let out a snort and looked back. "Sorry, guys! But I can't let Sho-chan go on his own. I'm sure you'll be okay."

Shōto and I ran a good distance, heading straight towards the city terrain. We ran for, maybe, eight minutes or so until we finally ran into some enemies.

As we were running down a concrete pathway with tall buildings up on either side of us, we could hear a ball whizzing through the air behind us. Immediately, Shōto turned around and launched out his fire. The incendiary attack landed perfectly, and the ball lost its momentum, falling short of us by a meter.

Standing tall on metal pipes and pillars behind us were students dressed as stereotypical shinobi. Except they were a rainbows of color—only one of them was black. From a quick count, I noted there were ten of them.

Enough for both of us.

"As expected of the winner of the U.A. sports festival," came the red one, who _looked_ like their leader. "Todoroki-kun, was it? I can't believe there's only two of you, ehh... Marin-chan?"

"But even if they _are_ from U.A. acting without their group will get 'em in trouble, don't you think?" joked the green one.

"It's two on ten, what're you gonna do?"

"Thanks. It saved us the trouble of looking for you," Shōto said flatly, subtly activating his ice Quirk from his feet.

"Aren't you cool," mocked the red one, and it seemed like none of them noticed what was heading their way.

The moment Shōto froze the legs of each enemy, and created a wall of ice between us and them, I grabbed his back and teleported both of us high up into the air and behind them. The one dressed as a red ninja began to throw small metal objects that rapidly grew into massive tools that slammed into Shōto's ice wall. They all continued to focus on the ice wall, believing that Shōto and I were still behind it.

I flattened out one of my bubbles so Shōto and I could stand on a platform and then we took out our balls and—

 _Ding._

 _Ding._

 _Ding._

In perfect sync we threw the sensory balls onto their targets, thus causing us to pass the exam.

"I thought things would be more challenging," I admitted to Shōto with a shy smile. "Am I getting arrogant?"

Shōto's lips twitched and he looked back at me. "No. Compared to what we've faced… Our confidence is earned." Shōto reached down and grabbed my hand, and my heart jumped at that for some silly reason.

' _Ah. I'm probably just a little overwhelmed from everything,'_ I thought to myself, forcing my heart to settle.

I already decided, long ago, that I would never pursue my feelings for Shōto. He was a dear, and precious friend, who needed me as a friend—as family—way more than a _girlfriend_.

For his sake, I would keep things between us comfortable.

Smiling at him, I squeezed his hand. "Ready to go to the waiting room, Sho-chan?"

"Mn." Shōto nodded, his expression calm as always. "How are your energy levels?"

"Fine," I reassured him, as I teleported both of us. "I've hardly had to use my Quirk here."

I teleported both of us to the waiting room, and we headed on inside. Some gazes were tossed our way, but we ignored most of them. Shōto and I took a seat out of the way, and we relaxed.

Who knew what would be coming up in the next part?

We remained at ease for several minutes until I noticed someone was staring at us. Or more specifically _glaring_ at Shōto.

Inasa, from the rival school, kept giving my friend the stink eye. It was such an odd thing, I couldn't resist staring right back at him with a perturbed look on my face.

Then I remembered something, as I stared at Inasa.

An old promise.

So I got up from my seat beside Shōto, and I walked over towards him.

( _Towards the boy who gave up his future, and love, to chase after hatred and pettiness_.)

"Hey," I greeted with a smile. "You're Inasa, right?"

"Yes!" Inasa exclaimed loudly, a big (fake) smile on his face. "And you?"

"Marin Kiyomi," I introduced myself. "I wanted to know if perhaps you'd like to hear a story?"

Inasa blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Ah—Sure? Yes, of course. I love passionate stories."

"Mm-hmm," I murmured, peering up at him as words started to tumble out of my mouth. The story that I knew like I knew how to breathe fell from my lips like a river. "There once lived two brothers who loved each other very much. They grew up in a peaceful village, and enjoyed warm sunny days beside each other. The younger brother looked up to his older brother like he was the sun in the sky. The younger brother loved his older brother more than anyone in the whole world. Until one night the younger brother returned home from a day of play to find his entire family slain… by the older brother."

Inasa blinked at that. "Whoa! That's pretty heavy."

But I only smiled in response. "The younger brother vowed to avenge his family and slay the brother he once loved. So consumed with his revenge, he descended into a pit of hatred, and darkness. He threw away everyone who tried to reach out to him, who tried to help him, because the younger brother could only see his rage and hatred. For years, the younger brother trained and hunted down his older brother until at long last the two met in battle. The battle was heartbreaking to watch, and the younger brother eventually became victorious. He had killed his precious older brother.

"And as the younger brother stood above the corpse of the man he once revered, he felt all of his energy depleting. He had devoted nearly his entire life to this one moment, allowing nothing but anger and pain to sustain him. He hated his brother more than anything in this world, and now that the older brother was gone… he didn't know what to do. He was listless for days until an elder man from their village approached him.

"The man told the younger brother a terrible, horrible truth. The older brother had slain their family not out of anger, or bloodlust, but out of desire to protect his younger brother. Their parents had planned to throw the whole village into chaos, and use the younger brother as a tool to do so. The older brother couldn't let all those people die, so he slayed his own parents to save them. His guilt, however, was too great and he couldn't bear to tell the truth to his younger brother. The older brother believed he deserved to die for what he had done, and so he allowed his dear sibling to fall into darkness with him."

"How do you think the younger brother reacted?" I asked him.

Inasa almost jumped at my question, his eyes wide. So enraptured into this story, he had not realized I had ended it with a question. "Well—he would have been furious, right?"

"He was," I agreed. "And what do you think he _should_ have done?"

Inasa was quiet for a moment as he thought about it.

I reached forward and gave his arm a gentle pat. "You don't have to answer me now. It's something to think about, at least… If you were the foolish younger brother, what would you have done?"

I turned away, and returned to Shōto's side. I took a seat beside him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"What was that about?" Shōto asked me.

"I have a thing for wanting to save stupid kids that remind me of ducks," I answered honestly.

Shōto didn't ask any further questions.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Our classmates joined us soon enough. Thankfully everyone in 1A was able to pass the first test, and we all eagerly awaited the next phase in the green and yellow room.

When the screens around the walls came on the proctor tiredly congrulated us. He went on to explain what the next phase would be: Rescue. It would begin in about ten minutes, and as soon as the screens turned off, my mind got to work.

"Rescue…?" I murmured to myself.

( _Ah… Ah… Children…_ )

"Class 1A, to me," I said, raising my voice. "As quickly as you can."

There were looks tossed my way, but my classmates converged on me.

( _Children without experience… They'll be too unprepared._ )

"Look, we're going to need to come into this with a plan," I said, cutting straight to the point. "Only—I mean none of us have hands on experience with this kind of thing. It's not like the previous exams where all we have to do is defend, and take out the bad guys. Our goal is to rescue."

"I don't need a fucking plan," Katsuki snapped out, turning to move away, but I grabbed his arm.

"Yes, you _do_ ," I hissed out, my eyes flashing with anger. "Can you suture?"

"Wh—"

"Who here can suture, or perform triage?" I demanded of my classmates. "Raise your hands _now_."

Momo, Tenya, Izuku, and Kyōka raised their hands. I gave a firm nod, as the rest of my classmates looked at me with baffled expressions. Either from my stern demeanor, or unsure of what I was getting out.

"You're fast," I told Katsuki, "but _literally ten seconds can kill or save someone_."

Katsuki's face flushed, and he tried to rip his arm out of my hand, but I squeezed even tighter.

With a snarl I said, "You're not super fast. The way you move quickly could make someone's injuries _worse_. You need to stay with someone who can perform emergency aid, and you damn straight need to focus on rescuing instead of fighting. _That's_ our mission right now, _not_ fighting some stupid robots."

I allowed Katsuki to pull away from me, his cheeks as red as tomatoes. "Fine! What's your stupid fucking plan?"

"We're going to have to fight and protect. Let's dedicate a team to offense, and a team for rescuing," I went on. "Until the enemy appears, team offense should work on clearing away debris. Offense team is: Bocchan, Izu-chan, Sho-chan, Sero-kun, Eijirō-kun, Mina-chan, and Denki-kun. Team medic will be: Momo-chan, Toru-chan, Koji-kun, and Kyōka-chan. There will be one more team, and these students will go to either team depending on who needs them most. We'll call them utility: Tenya-kun, Mezo-kun, Ocha-chan, Yuga-kun, Mineta-kun, and myself.

"Team offense, three of you scout further ahead. If you see someone in danger, make a show—like an explosion, or throwing something up into the air—and someone from team medic will go to you. Your only focus until villains show up is to make sure there's room for the rescue teams to arrive, and clear away debris. If you find someone in need _do not leave them until someone from medic comes for them_. That's basic rescuing 101. Medics, your goal is get the bystanders stable enough to get to a set up medical tent. Kyōka-chan, Toru-chan, I want the two of you to help set up the main medic tent."

"H-How?" Toru stammered out, the invisible girl waving her hands in the air.

"Mark off an area, and set up the supplies. Momo-chan, stay with them to make sure they have everything they need. I'm sure the proctors will provide the basic equipment, but it's up to us to use them.

"Things you need to keep in mind: One: _Do not lose your patience._ I am saying this especially to you, Bocchan. A hero has to stay calm in any situation, and if you lose your cool you'll undoubtedly get in trouble for it. Two: _Do not touch a bystander until you assess them._ If they can move, you can touch them, but if they can't move do not lay a single finger on them. You could do more harm than good, wait for a medic to evaluate. Three: Be careful of the surroundings. One wrong move and you could collapse an entire building and kill someone. Four: Do not go _anywhere_ alone. And five: _Use common sense_."

I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, ignoring how my classmates were giving me gobsmacked expressions.

Well, except Katsuki who was fuming, and Shōto who was just nodding along.

"S-So," Izuku stuttered, "when the villains show up, we go attack?"

"You stay close, and defend," I corrected. "Do not chase after them like a puppy after a bone. You have to prioritize those you are protecting. Everyone on the medic team, please do not try to fight the enemy. Focus on saving lives. Utility, when the villains come out, I will trust your judgement on where you are needed most. Anyone have questions?"

There were some head shakes.

"If you aren't sure about what to do _find me_ ," I stressed. "Don't act on your own, you could do more harm than good. Or work with the other students. We aren't fighting each other in this, I think, so it won't hurt you to be cooperative."

We didn't have any more time to plan. The signal was made for us to begin, and we wordlessly broke off into separate groups according to what I said. Kyōka and Toru immediately joined up with a few of the older students, helping set up a medical tent. I, Tsuyu, Shōto, Mezu, Momo, and Yuga went off toward the right to cover that, while more groups were formed and went off in different directions.

It was…

A mad house.

The "civilians" we had to rescue were phenomenal actors, but they lacked certain key details that kept me from thinking it was real.

There was no smell.

No iron tang in the air from the blood, no sickenly sweet pork stench from burning flesh.

They might as well have been dousing themselves in ketchup.

My group worked well together. Momo was able to create stretchers for us to use on victims that I cleared—as I was the only one on our team with the experie—knowledge to do so. The rest of my team worked on clearing debris, and helping move the civilians out of the way.

We were efficient, polite, and successful.

Our group had actually almost finished clearing our side when something drastic caught our attention.

An explosion shot off in the distance and already I was reaching for Shōto's hand. "Tsuyu-chan, can you handle the rest here?"

"Leave it to me, ribbit!" Tsuyu exclaimed. Shōto grabbed my hand, and I teleported both of us directly towards the explosion.

As it would happen, the villains would finally show up. I recognized the hero as Gang Orca—someone with increased speed, enduranced, strength, stamina, along with the ability to launch supersonic blast waves. There were dozens upon dozens of henchmen around him, and it looked like Shōto and I were the first ones to greet the villain.

Shōto shot out fire from his left side, and it hurtled to Gang Orca with impressive speed.

But the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I could feel the wind changing in that one second.

(Tsk-tsk- _tsk_!)

I instinctually ripped out my staff, instantly transforming it to its full length and teleporting directly in front of Gang Orca. Shōto's fire was initially heading straight at him, but Inasa had used his Quirk to also launch an attack. The result was Inasa's winds blew out Shōto's fire, and Shōto's fire caused an updraft on Inasa's winds.

Which meant neither of their attacks connected with Gang Orca.

Therefore, I chose to teleport in front of Gang Orca and engage in close combat.

When both realized their attacks had cancelled out each other, I could hear them arguing. It was hard to pay attention to them _while_ dealing with Gang Orca, but I caught the gist of Inasa's reason for being so angry with Shōto.

"Heroes are meant to be passionate people who ignite hope in others, and beat down criminals with their passion!" Inasa cried out angrily. "All of them, except _Endeavour_ whose eyes are filled with nothing but cold, _cold_ rage. You, at that entrance exam when we were all fighting those robots—you had his eyes for everyone but _her_. Heroes should be fair to all—heroes should bring passion and joy wherever they go. But you? You only bring your father's tainted legacy."

I bit down hard on my lip, anger surging through me on behalf of my friend.

( _But a promise is a promise_.)

"Shut up, you lost little brother," I hollered, swinging my staff up to try and push Gang Orca back. Since I was engaged in heavy close combat, I had to shout in between breaths and blows. "Yes! Heroes should be—passionate—but that raw emotion you're—feeling right now—is not what a hero—should bring. Heroes—"

Gang Orca slammed his massive hands down on me, and I had to bring up my staff and two bubbles to keep him from hitting me.

"Heroes," I ground out, "are—meant—to—bring—hope! How can you—call yourself—a hero if all—you're passionate about—is— _hatred_!"

Orca Gang took a deep breath and let out a powerful sonic wave. I teleported above him as soon as he did so, and he ripped up the ground where I previously was. I summoned one of my bubbles to stand on in the air, and I glared over at Inasa. "You wanna complain about Endeavour? Fine! But if you wanna be a hero, you better shut up and act like it, or I'll take that stupid hatred of yours and knock you senseless, _little brother_."

Inasa's face turned red, and he shouted at me, "I know how to be a hero! I'll take these bad guys out, no problem."

"Then you handle the ones on the right, Sho-chan, you get the ones on the left, and I'll take care of Cutie-Mc-Cute-Stuff," I declared. " _Move_!"

"Cutie-Mc-Cute-Stuff?" Orca Gang repeated as I teleported right back to him and picked up our close combat fight once again.

I had to shrug. "I call it like I see it."

"Heh."

I teleported up above Gang Orca, and he immediately bellowed out a super sonic blast straight at me. I teleported away again, but he accurately predicted where I was going and directed his attack directly there. The force sent me careening backwards, and I reflexively used my ultimate: Petal Step.

With the bubbles on my feet, I used them to control myself in the air. I stopped myself from spinning, gritted my teeth from annoyance, and dashed towards Gang Orca once more. I reached down and grabbed a smoke screen pellet from my utility belt and I threw it down at him.

Gang Orca immediately destroyed it mid air, releasing the thick black smoke and completely obscuring his vision of me.

' _He'll think I'll use this time to teleport directly behind him,'_ I thought. ' _But I'll keep charging forward!'_

I dove through the smoke, throwing down a foam pellet on the surprised Gang Orca. Sticky white foam erupted from the pellet, completely covering him in carbon dioxide. He sputtered, coughing, and I took that opening to raise my staff and slam it into his head as hard as I possibly could.

Gang Orca went careening away, hitting the ground hard enough to crack it underneath him.

A powerful wind slammed down on him from above, pinning him, just as a vortex of fire surrounded the two of us, completely trapping him.

The wind and fire were kept far enough away that neither would affect the other. Surprised at their appearance, however, I looked around to see Inasa descend from above and Shōto step through the flames.

"Ah, did you guys finish up?" I asked them.

"It was a piece of cake," Inasa said loudly.

"The enemies are captured," Shōto affirmed, approaching to stand beside me. "Surrender, Gang Orca. We have you completely surrounded."

"Feh," Gang Orca said, but despite that he was smiling. "Well done. Alright, I surrender."

The wind and fire dispersed, and the three of us headed over to Gang Orca, who sat up slowly while clutching his head. "Quite the staff, miss."

"Thank you. Her name is Cherry," I said, then glared over at Inasa. "You done being a toddler?"

That made turned his face red, and he abruptly left.

" _Uhum… with that, all the H.U.C. who were deployed have been rescued from the danger zone. It may seem arbitrary but with this, all the provisional licensing exam procedures have been completed. After we talk about the scores, we will announce the results here. Those who were injured should go to the infirmary. The rest of you should change and then stand by."_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

It was with relief that I got to change back into my comfortable school clothes, satisfied with what I had done. The participants gathered in the main gym about an hour later where the test results were posted.

And…

All of 1A had passed!

Once this was realized, the class let out a lot of cheers, whoops, and hollers. We weren't the only ones celebrating, so the whole gym got very loud.

During our celebration Inasa approached me, his cheeks dusted pink and his hands shoved into his pockets. "Oi."

I broke away from my friends, placing my hands on my hips and glaring up at him. "Oi yourself."

Inasa stiffed, closed his eyes, and then bowed down hard and fast. "I'm sorry! Regardless of how I feel about—about Endeavour and his son, I shouldn't have let it come in the way of me being a hero. Of protecting those bystanders."

Shaking my head, I said, "Look, I understand why you don't like Endeavour. You aren't going to hear me, or Sho-chan, defending that vile man. But you've never even had a proper conversation with Sho-chan, so how can you judge him? You're acting blind, chasing after something so utterly _pointless_ that you forget what's important."

Inasa slowly raised his head at that, his eyebrows scrunched together as he looked at me. "Being a hero?"

"Dummy," I scolded, " _being you_. Are you someone who only chases after petty revenge, after hatred? Or are you someone who will stand by your values, and become a hero? Are you the little brother, about to throw away everything?"

Inasa abruptly straighten up, his mouth dropping open as he looked at me with wide eyes. "Wh—Me! I'm _me_! I will not be the little brother, at all."

Judging sincerity in his words, I gave a smile. Relaxing, I said, "Good. Make sure you stay that way."

* * *

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* * *

"Little brother?" Shōto questioned, taking my hand in his own and entwining our fingers. Since we were done with the exam, we were heading back toward the school bus with the our other classmates.

"The story of the weasel and the duck," I answered him.

"Ah. The one where the fox and the salamander save the little brother from killing his sibling?"

My lips twitched. "I gave him a little bit of a different version… but yes."

Shōto nodded, accepting as such. "It's a good story."

"It's a good lesson."

* * *

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* * *

I really like all the lessons in this story. I think they're good ones to have, if a bit cliche.

Batman belt + good staff = fun times.

The staff is made from carbon nanotubes. Why? Because Shit Is About To Go Down in the upcoming arcs, and I felt like Kiyomi needed more utility. Plus I wanted a Batman Belt™ and I feel like these are things _all_ heroes should have if they can afford it. Considering how advanced the technology is in the bnha-verse I think some of those pellets are perfectly possible.

I _did_ seriously consider swapping Inasa out for Mineta at the start of the story, but I honestly chickened out. Why? Because I was afraid of over-stacking Class 1A, and accidentally getting rid of the spy. I doubt Mineta's the spy, but who the heck knows. Plus I have a feeling Inasa being in the other school will come in handy later on down the road.

More fan art of Kiyomi! Big thank you to KaidaStorm on deviantART who drew Kiyomi's new outfit. :)

 **Answer:** Aha. I really hope to successfully publish a book series. ^^"

 **Question:** What are you grateful for? What makes you happy in your everyday life?

Reviews are **love**!


	16. A Thorn in the Heart

My original story has been published! It's called _Dawn of the Rose_ and can be found on Amazon Kindle, or Etsy. Thank all so much for your support. :)

 **Cold and cruel times can be hard, and seem to stretch on for far too long, but I promise spring comes.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

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◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I woke up to the nauseating stench of pork. It made me lurch up in bed, clutching at my stomach and mouth. For a handful of minutes, I didn't move an inch because I felt like if I moved I might've ended up losing my dinner from last night.

The foul odor slowly disappeared from my senses, and I strained my ears trying to listen if anyone was outside moving. Maybe someone had made bacon in the middle of the night?

But no, I didn't hear anything.

' _A dream?'_ I thought, lowering my hand from my mouth. There was still a needle in my gut that prevented me from relaxing, but at the very least I didn't feel like I was going to throw up at any second. I sat in the dark, waiting for the queasiness and unease to pass, my eyes roaming around my room.

It was a… _girlish_ room, I supposed. Lots of pinks, whites, oranges, and reds. All of my furniture—with the exception of some dolls I had made—had been passed down to me from my sisters and aunties. The bed was made by Papa, though, with white wood and pretty flower designs painted on.

Most of my room was taken up by shelf space for my many, many textbooks. All of which were autographed by the author, Nezu, and ranged on a variety of subjects. I may not intend to pursue a career in astronomy, but it was fascinating to read about. It was amazing that Nezu was so well versed in such a multitude of subjects.

There was a book missing from my shelf. It was was related to physics, and Katsuki was currently borrowing it. Katsuki might've seemed like a rough-and-tough kind of person, but he also enjoyed studying a variety of topics. He enjoyed Nezu's texts as much as I did, and would add his own notes to my own (as I had a tendency of sticking notes onto some pages to elaborate, or question something I had found).

I let out a long sigh when the nausea finally passed, but my sense of unease didn't. I turned around in my bed and grabbed the biggest doll I had made. They were plush dolls, made out of black cloth. Some thought they were creepy, but I liked them. I didn't entirely understand _why_ I made them when I was younger, but I knew they were important to me and I found comfort in their presence.

And yes, I knew that I was technically almost an adult and _probably_ shouldn't still be clinging onto stuffed dolls for comfort but—

Oh well.

I continued to sit in the darkness for another ten minutes, but my anxiety didn't let up. Finally giving up on going back to sleep, I got out of bed and put on my slippers. I decided to head out of my room, and I eventually ended up in the kitchen.

' _Maybe some comfort food?'_ I thought, my hands moving on their own as I grabbed ingredients. It felt like I was on autopilot.

Somehow, about an hour later, I ended up with cupcakes.

A lot of cupcakes.

 _Fifty cupcakes_.

I put most of them in some tubberware and wrote a note out to my fellow classmates that it was essentially free cupcakes.

But there were seven left out that didn't fit and I didn't feel like getting out a whole new tubberware just for _seven_ cupcakes.

I could eat seven cupcakes.

' _Okay, maybe not by myself,'_ I allowed. ' _Or maybe I just don't_ want _to eat them by myself? Would that be a bit too sad?'_

So I put them on a plate, poured two glasses of milk, and put them all on a tray.

Then I thought about who to go wake up to eat cupcakes.

My initial reaction would be Shōto, but I woke him up last time so I'd feel bad for doing it again. Then I thought about Izuku, but he was _crazy_ tired when he went to bed last night… Ochaco was acting odd last night so I wanted to give her rest, too…

Which left Katsuki.

That made me hesitate for a second before I teleported into his bedroom.

My dear friend was snoring, completely sprawled out in his bed. His dorm room looked exactly like his bedroom had: Neat, filled with video games and All Might stuff, and like it belonged to a very studious student who enjoyed books over brawls.

I loudly cleared my throat.

Katsuki gave a snort, blearily opening his eyes and staring at me for a solid minute before he woke up enough to realize what was going on. "What the fu… What the fuck are you doing here, Bubblegum?"

I held up the cupcakes, smiling tentatively. "Cupcakes?"

Katsuki wiped his face, groaning. "Go bother someone else."

"Please?"

Something in my tone bugged Katsuki, because he sat up next and turned on his nightstand light. He glared at me for a few minutes, and I nervously shifted my posture around. He finally asked, "What happened?"

The knot inside my gut twisted, and I lowered my gaze. "I guess, maybe a bad dream? I—I woke up smelling… smelling pork."

There was a moment of silence, and then Katsuki reached across and grabbed a chocolate cupcake. He unpeeled the wrapper and took a bite out of it. "At least you can bake."

Relief settled over me, for some reason. I felt like the tightness inside of me loosened up just a tiny bit. I smiled at Katsuki, my lips turning up on their own, and I took a seat beside him. I kept the tray on my lap, and Katsuki grabbed his glass of milk, taking a big swig out of it.

"You wanna spar when we're done? I'm in the mood to kick some ass," Katsuki muttered off handedly. "Since you rudely woke me up, it's the least you can do."

"O-Oh, yes. That sounds nice," I said, beaming. We each ate three cupcakes, and split the last one. We didn't talk while we ate, but that was fine. Just having someone sit beside me felt like _enough_.

When we were done eating, I asked if he wanted to change and he shook his head, taking my hand instead. Out of reflex I teleported both of us back to our usual sparring grounds.

Katsuki glanced around the grassy fields, his expression unreadable. He grunted, "No Quirks, palms open. I don't want to be hearing about your whining because I broke your stupid nose again."

That got a strained giggle out of me, the sound coming out oddly. "Okay."

I kicked off my slippers and started stretching, Katsuki mimicking my movements.

Then we began our spar.

It was a familiar routine. While our styles had changed over the years, and we fought much differently than we had in the beginning, it still felt comfortable, and relaxing. We didn't talk while we fought. Each round was over when the other was pinned, and then we started back up like nothing happened.

Time slipped away from us. Hours had likely passed—it was probably nearing five in the morning—until we were both trembling from exhaustion. We were covered in sweat, mud, and grass, but that was fine.

For that one moment where we looked up at each other, out of breath but content, _everything was fine_.

I almost, _almost_ , forgot that I didn't have a Baba and Papa to return home to.

I almost, _almost_ , forgot what the stench of burning flesh smelled like.

I almost, _almost_ , forgot I was supposed to be grieving.

"You've," I gasped out, "gotten—better—much."

Katsuki was bent over his knees, wheezing. "I—know."

"Do—you—want—to." I took some gulping breaths of air and evened out my breathing before continuing. "Do you want—to learn how—to use weapons?"

Katsuki slowly straightened up. "Weapons would—probably get in my—way."

"What if you can't—use your Quirk?" I asked him. "What if you reach your—limit?"

"That won't—" Katsuki abruptly cut himself off, his face pinched like he bit into a lemon. "What do you—what do you think I should use?"

"Staves are good. Multifunctional," I said slowly, considering what weapon would be good for Katsuki. I wasn't even certain why I suggested it in the first place. Katsuki was going to be an amazing hero, I doubted he would ever feel like he needed to use a weapon.

' _So why did he agree? Does he think he'll reach a limit?'_

' _Did he already reach a limit?'_

"You're smart," I went on, still thinking, "so you could probably use poison. Ah, not the deadly kind, but the kind that can put people to sleep or paralyze them. Maybe just give them really bad rashes."

Katsuki's face screwed up in plain distaste. "No."

"Blades aren't normally good for heroes, but you could probably learn to use them safely," I said. "You'd have to learn how to perform field sutures, though, in case you made a mistake."

"Pass."

"What if you built in some projectiles?" I asked. "Like stuff in your shoes, and grenade thing? Things that don't require you to use your Quirk, but won't take much energy, either. You could launch smoke screens, or small arrows, or… You know, stuff like that."

"That's not really a weapon," Katsuki pointed out, his eyes narrowed.

"Well, what would _you_ want to learn?" I asked him.

' _What happened?'_

Then it clicked.

Katsuki was kidnapped.

Well, we _both_ were kidnapped. The whole ordeal was a fog in my memories, and everyone made it out okay, so I didn't dwell on it.

But maybe Katsuki did?

"Is that why you've got a staff now?" Katsuki asked, his voice gruff. He was watching my reaction with narrowed eyes.

"In part," I admitted. "It was more Shishō's idea than my own."

"You—you didn't need a weapon _that_ night," Katsuki pointed out quietly. "You got out—you got out of _your_ bindings with goddamn third degree burns."

I blinked, then flushed. "I also passed out right afterwards. _You_ carried me to safety."

That made Katsuki snort harshly, his face twisted in scorn. He didn't say anything, though, but I felt… _something_ stir inside of him. There was a dark thorn inside of my friend that was twisting around, cutting into him.

' _What's wrong?'_ I wanted to ask. I wanted to reach out and pull him into a hug like I would with Shōto, Izuku, or Ochaco, but I didn't dare.

"Katsuki-kun," I said gently, tenderly. He jerked back when I used his proper name instead of a nickname. "Katsuki-kun, if you weren't there with me, I would have died. I couldn't have gotten away on my own. I don't remember a lot about that night, but I know this with absolute certainty. If you weren't there, _I would be dead_."

I took a deep breath and then bowed sharply towards him. "Thank you, Katsuki-kun. Thank you for saving my life. I should have said so earlier, and I'm sorry for my lateness, but I hope you can still accept my thanks now."

"… Idiot."

I straightened up, smiling at him. There was something still off about my dear friend, but it didn't seem quite so dark. He shoved his hands in his sweatpants pockets, and looked up at the morning sky. "How'd you get out?"

"Oh, um." I blushed, and mumbled, "I dislocated my wrists and ankles, then put them back into place."

Katsuki gave me a hard look of disdain. "I knew you had a high pain tolerance, but that's—that's insane."

"I can show you how," I offered him.

"Who taught you?"

"No one," I answered. "Just something I know how to do."

Katsuki scratched his cheek. "… Okay."

"Do you wanna know how to do sutures?" I asked. "Emergency first aid and stuff?"

"You know?"

"Farm girl," I said, pointing at myself. "Can also show you how to pull a baby horse outta—"

"I'll learn first aid," Katsuki cut in sharply before I could finish. I let out a very unladylike giggle at that. "… Bubblegum?"

"Yes, Bocchan?"

"You think about that night? When we were with the villains?" Katsuki asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You ever… _think_ about it?"

"Not… Not so much anymore," I confessed quietly. "But you… do?"

Katsuki turned away from me. "We should head back. It's almost time to get up, anyway."

His deamour abruptly changed. Whatever was bothering him _had_ to be related to that night, and it wasn't something he wanted to talk about.

I knew better than to force people to talk about unpleasant things, but—

I stepped toward Katsuki and wrapped my arms around him. I buried my nose into his back, and gave him a tight squeeze. "Bocchan, you know I love you like a brother, yeah?"

He seized up, stiff and frozen like a porcupine covered in ice. His shock delayed his reaction, which allowed me to further add, "And I'm here. For whatever, _whenever_. I'll always be here, Bocchan, cheering you on."

Katsuki finally gathered his senses and harshly shoved me away from him. Red-faced, he turned back around and angrily snarled, "Who the fuck said I wanted that? Don't fucking do that again, you stupid Bubblegum pop princess!"

I smiled back brightly in return, holding out my hand. "I make no promises. You're my precious friend, after all."

Still flushing, Katsuki scoffed and roughly grabbed my hand. I teleported us back to his room, giving his hand one more firm squeeze before heading back to my room.

I cleaned up for the day, running on barely five hours of sleep. A quick shower took care of the dirt and sweat. My long hair tangled too easily, though, and it took a solid half an hour of rigorous combing to get rid of the knots.

Unfortunately for me my friend had landed more than his fair share of hits, and I could feel the bruises starting to form. Neither of us went for vital, or overly sensitive areas—like faces, or joints—but my arms were sore from blocking. Deciding to play it safe, I wrapped a couple of cold compresses around the more tender areas, and wore a long-sleeved turtle neck for the day.

Since it took me admittedly longer than usual to get ready, I actually didn't make it on time for breakfast and had to head straight to class. I teleported directly to my seat, ignoring the glances thrown my way at my oddly late timing.

Taking my seat, I saw there was a blueberry muffin on my desk. Before I could ask who placed it there—and thank them—Aizawa entered the classroom and signaled for us to begin classwork.

* * *

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* * *

After class that day, 1A headed back to the dorms. I walked with my friends, wincing when I put too much pressure on some of my forming bruises.

"You seem a little sore, Kiyo-chan," Ochaco observed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I reassured her. "Just had an impromptu sparring match with Bocchan last night."

"Why?" Shōto inquired, frowning.

"No real reason," came my response with a shrug. Then I yawned. "Oh jeepers. I guess I should go to bed early tonight."

"What time did you spar with Kacchan?" Izuku asked, also frowning as he peered at me.

"Oh… um… you know… maybe… around four in the morning?"

My friends exchanged glances.

"Kiyo-chan, if you're having trouble sleeping—" Shōto began, but I cut him off by placing my hand over his mouth.

With a small smile, I said, "I'll be okay. I promise."

"Still," Izuku said uneasily, his brow furrowed. "Maybe you should stay with someone tonight?"

"You can sleep in my room, Kiyo-chan," Ochaco offered. "We can watch some movies before bed on my laptop."

I had to admit it was awfully tempting to cuddle someone and watch movies, but—

I knew if I had another nightmare, I'd end up making them stay up with me. I wanted to try to get through at least _one_ night on my own. Just… one night.

Chewing on my bottom lip, I carefully said, "I want to try to sleep on my own tonight. If… if I can't, then I promise I'll stay with one of you guys the next night, okay?"

"Don't force yourself," Shōto replied softly. "You're not alone."

"I know. I know. I just—I want to do this. I think I can do this."

Ochaco abruptly stopped walking, and threw her arms around my neck. She pulled me close and gave me a tight squeeze. "Okay, Kiyo-chan. We're here for you, whatever you need."

Izuku rubbed my back while Ochaco and I hugged. Shōto contributed to the affection session with an awkward pat on the head, which made me giggle.

"Thank you," I said sweetly. "Really. Thank you all so much."

* * *

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* * *

As soon as we returned to the dorms, I grabbed an abundance of snack food and headed off to my room.

I changed into a very comfortable white and pink cat onesie, crawled into my bed, and proceeded to watch the happiest, fluffiest, sweetest shows I knew on my laptop. I started with the remake of _Fruits Basket_ , then moved on to _Yumeiro Patissiere._

Which unfortunately just made me outrageously hungry and I had already ravaged my snack food.

So around ten at night, I hopped out of my bed and snuck into the kitchen to make some dinners.

At first I was only going to make dinner for myself, but for reason I thought that tonight I ought to make five. I set to work, first washing several cups of rice before dumping them in the rice cooker.

I took half a kilogram of ground beef out of the fridge and began to cook it over the stovetop. While that was going, I mixed together a cup (138 g) of brown sugar, a cup (138 g) of soy sauce, a few tablespoons (30 g) of sesame oil, a pinch of paprika, black pepper, and some ginger. After the meat finished cooking, I dumped the sauce into it the skillet and let it simmer for a few minutes while I made the side dishes.

Since I was always a big fan of rolled eggs, I made a couple of those.

I dumped the rice in a bowl, poured the saucy beef over it, and placed some slices of eggs on top. Perhaps not the fanciest of dinners, but it was pretty dang delicious. I had to quadruple the recipe to make enough for five meals, but they all turned out pretty dang great.

' _Now why did I make this many?'_ I wondered. ' _Maybe I ought to wrap them up for whoever grabs them in the morning as first come first serve?'_

As I pondered what to do, approaching footsteps caught my attention. Since you had to go through the kitchen / eating area to get to the elevators that would take you back to the dorm rooms, anyone coming in from the front had to come through here.

But it was well past curfew, so nobody should have been coming from that direction.

Curious, I peeked around the corner and let out a squeak of surprise.

Aizawa, Izuku, Katsuki, and Cinnamon Roll were coming down the hallway. Both of the teachers looked like they had been dressed to head to bed for the night, whereas both students looked like they had been through one hell of a sparring match.

"U-Um," I squeaked out.

Aizawa immediately glared darkly at me. "What are _you_ doing out of bed?"

I let out an _eep_ at his glower. "I got hungry! I-I was up, and I, um, I made dinners? I, um, made a lot of extras if you'd all like some."

Katsuki didn't pause, though, and he brushed past me. I watched him leave, my brow furrowed with concern when I saw even _more_ bruises on him.

"Thanks, Kiyo-chan," Izuku said, accepting the meal. "I'm going to get cleaned up then eat this."

"Do you need any help?" I asked him, noticing his injuries seemed just as bad as Katsuki's.

My friend smiled brightly at me, though. "Nah. I can take care of this."

"Oh, okay," I said, watching Izuku leave next. I turned back to Aizawa and Cinnamon Roll—er—All Might and offered them the other two bowls.

"Thank you, Kiyo-chan," Cinnamon Roll said with a smile. "It's been a while since I got to enjoy your cooking."

"Thanks," Aizawa grunted. "Now go to bed."

"Yes, sir," I said, teleporting back to my room to grab a first aid kit, then to the kitchen to grab a water bottle, and finally straight to Katsuki instead of my bed.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I sat on Katsuki's bed, handing him a bowl of food and water. I didn't know what the blow up was between Izuku and Katsuki, but I had feeling it was about _that_ night. The night we were kidnapped.

Katsuki reluctantly accepted the food, and I used the opportunity to begin doctoring him up.

It went to show how tired he was, that he didn't swat me away or protest. I cleaned up the scrapes, smudging antibiotic ointment on them before bandaging them up. I noticed some knots, and bruises forming, so I placed some cold wraps on them to keep the swelling down.

Nothing required stitches, or to be set.

By the time I was done with that, Katsuki was almost done with his food and I quickly teleported back to my room to grab a basket and then headed back.

I placed the basket in Katsuki's lap, and he stared down at it dully. "What's this?"

"Stuff to practice sutures," I said. "Since you'll be under house arrest, I thought now would be a good time for you to get some experience. Gotta learn how to use a needle and thread first before you can do it on flesh. I provided the supplies, and a couple books that will show you how to sew step by step."

Katsuki rummaged through the wicker basket, pulling out the needlework and cross-stitching supplies.

"Once you get the hang of that then you move on to fruit, and then we'll buy some pig meat," I went on. "Setting bones is a bit trickier to practice on, but, um... There's also a textbook in there about trauma care."

Katsuki pulled out the textbook next, glancing it over and muttering quietly, "Thanks."

I hesitated for a split second before I gave him a quick, tight hug. I pulled away before he could shove me off him, though.

"You… okay?" I asked him. "You seem _better_ , but are you okay?"

"I'm—" Katsuki sighed through his nose, closing his eyes. "I'm fine."

I tilted my head at that, not entirely believing him. "There was once a boy who said he was fine. He said he was fine, even as he watched people in black bury each member of his family. He said he was fine as he lost the ability to walk, and he said he was fine, as he lost the ability to see. He said he was fine to his doctors, and he said he was fine to his friends, and he said the word _fine_ so much that it lost its meaning entirely. The boy thought if he said it enough, it would be true, but that simply didn't happen. He wasn't anywhere close to _fine_. He was breaking inside, as bits and pieces of him fell into despair. He was helpless to his pain, but unable to voice anything other than the words: I'm fine."

I patted Katsuki's knee. "It's okay to _not_ be okay. I won't force you to tell me what's going on, but you should know that you and I both know _you're not fine_."

Katsuki clutched tightly at the textbook, refusing to meet my gaze. He was tired, physically and emotionally spent. Whatever he and Izuku fought about had completely drained him, and it looked like there was a boulder pressing down his back and shoulders. The sharp thorns and needles inside of him weren't so sharp and cutting anymore, but they still left wounds.

They might have even left scars.

I gently took the textbook out of his hand, and I placed the basket on his nightstand. I patted his bed and said, "Why don't you lay down? I'll tuck you in."

"I'm not a fucking toddler."

"Don't be a brat," I scolded him lightly, pulling back the covers. "You're tired. You need rest now."

Katsuki scoffed, but there was no energy put into it. He crawled under the blankets, and I pulled them over him. I switched off the nightstand light, and I pulled up the chair from his desk.

I sat beside his bed and I said, "For tonight, I'll make sure you sleep well. Whatever is bothering you, I'll keep it away from your dreams. I promise."

"I'm not a kid," Katsuki mumbled, his voice raspy. His eyes drifted closed, and exhaustion finally hit my dear friend. He was asleep within minutes.

And I stayed by his side for the rest of the night, keeping my promise.

* * *

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* * *

Thejunestone on deviantART ( wattpearl on wattpad) drew some very sweet fanart of Kiyomi and Shōto dancing from the movie! I hope to be able to grab a copy of the movie soon in order to do a chapter of it.

Arneewenn and KaidaStorm drew some very cute fanart of Kiyomi in her new outfit on deviantART!

I hope ya'll will check out all of their fanart.

Chapter 17 is almost done. I hope to be able to post it next week as an apology for this one being so late.

 **Answer:** I am grateful for my imagination, inspiration, family, work, and life.

 **Question:** Who, or what, keeps your bad dreams away?

Reviews are **love**!


	17. Old Friend

**Live for yourself. You are absolutely worth every breath.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Okay, then, we'll be continuing regular classes starting today," Aizawa began the following morning. "A lot of unprecedented things happened, but you'll need to switch gears and focus on your duties as students. We'll be staying inside the classroom today, but this semester you'll have even harsher training than before."

Today was the official day classes returned to normal. The "classes" immediately after the licensing exam had been exclusively used to go over what we had experienced during the exam, and areas we could improve on. Apparently Aizawa had recorded the entire process, and had us watch how we acted and discuss how we could do better.

Although most of that was a blur since yesterday I had been running on little sleep and was tuckered out from sparring with Katsuki.

Today…

Today was also a sleep-deprived today.

I stayed true to my word and stayed beside my exhausted friend throughout the night. It did get a little boring after the first hour, so I ended up reading some of his books out loud. He seemed to sleep a bit easier while I was doing so, so I did that for basically the rest of the entire night.

So.

Now I was running on a grand total of five hours of sleep in the past forty eight hours, and my throat was raw from talking for several hours straight.

I did not want to go to class that day, at all. I did not want to do anything but crawl into a bed and sleep.

But I hadn't missed a day, yet, and with Izuku and Katsuki under house arrest someone ought to take notes for them. Especially some heavily detail-oriented notes for Izuku since the fanboy would undoubtedly be suffering from not being able to see and hear everything for himself.

I chugged several cans of energy drinks, feeling my entire body buzz from jitters, and forced myself to pay attention.

Tsuyu raised her hand. "I'm sorry, Sensei, but may I ask a question? Can you tell us what the _hero work studies_ that came up earlier is about?"

Hero work studies.

Earlier that day Shishou had given the entrance ceremony speech. I had not paid much attention to it—choosing instead to record it with my pocket audio recorder so that I could listen to it later.

In my defense, I hadn't had my energy drinks yet and was nearly falling over myself trying not to sleep on Shōto's shoulders.

There was some chattering amongst the students about Tsuyu's question and Momo raised her hand. "He said it was something many of the upperclassmen are engaged in."

Aizawa scratched the back of his head. "I was planning to talk more about those at a later date, but I guess telling you guys now is more logical. To put it simply, they're hero activities outside of school. Like the internships you did under heroes before, only closer to the real thing."

Ochaco let out a shriek, leaping up from her desk. "Then why did I work so hard at the sports festival?!"

Tenya frowned. "That's true. If we have work studies, then even those who didn't get scouted at the sports festival would have paths open up for them."

Cactus-Sensei sighed. "The hero work studies use the scouting from the sports festival as connections. This isn't part of a class, but an activity done at the discretion of the student. So those who weren't scouted at the sports festival would have a hard time lining one up to begin with. Originally, individual agencies recruited on their own, but there were many complications with trying to get U.A. students to join, so it ended up being like this. If you understand, sit down."

"Sorry for jumping to conclusions," Ochaco meekly apologized, sitting back down.

"Now that you have your provisional licenses you can assist in more real ways for longer periods of time. But there haven't been many cases where first years have received their provisional licenses. With the increased villain activity we are currently thinking seriously about your participation. Well, we'll have you hear more about what it's like and explain in further detail at a later date. We've got our own circumstances to consider. Well then, sorry to keep you waiting, Mic."

As I continued to rapidly transcribe everything that had been said, the front door to the classroom opened up as Present Mic stepped in. "First period is English! In other words, my time!"

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

When classes were done for the day, I stumbled over to my best friend, Shōto and tiredly asked, "May I pretty please sleep with you tonight?"

"Of course," he reassured me, and I about cried tears of relief at the thought of being able to sleep a full eight hours.

"Can we—Can we go to bed early?"

"Let's grab some dinner, and we can watch movies until you fall asleep," he suggested.

"Bless you," I whispered.

Shōto peered at me for a moment. "On second thought, go get changed into your pajamas and I'll bring dinner to the room."

"I love you."

"I know."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

I straight up passed out while eating the dinner. No clue what happened, but we were watching _Kaguya-sama_ and I was mid-bite in some fried chicken and then… nothing.

(Shōto would later tell me that he turned around to see me snoring with a piece of chicken sticking out of my mouth and he immediately took a picture and sent it to Ochaco and Izuku.

This picture is now my profile picture on their phones. I will never live it down.)

Nothing faded away into golden light, and the light shined as memories and fantasies began to intermingle with one another.

Happy, childish laughter filled my dreams that night. Small humans running to me with tiny outstretched hands and calling out for _Momma!_

Joy, and love touched my dreams that night. Baba and Papa were there, watching on with such happy smiles as I introduced them to my future children. As I introduced them to my husband—

I woke up curled up in Shōto's arms, my nose buried in his chest. The surprisingly sweet dream of having children of my own slowly drifted out of my mind, leaving behind a warm, bubbly feeling. It was such a pleasant feeling, it brought a smile to my face and made me unintentionally nuzzle into Shōto like he was a big pillow.

Shōto, still asleep, let out a soft sigh.

' _It'd be nice to stay like this,'_ I thought wistfully. ' _But that might be a bit too selfish of me.'_

Reluctantly, I untangled myself from my cuddle buddy, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek before sitting up and stretching.

' _Ah. I haven't had sleep that good in a while. What a great dream!'_

To be honest I was tempted to just lay back down and keep sleeping in an attempt to relive that fantasy. It'd been _ages_ since I had such a happy dream, and I was genuinely giddy over it. The gentle warmth bloomed inside the pit of my stomach, and kept my smile from dropping.

"Good morning," mumbled a groggy Shōto from beside me. Still half-asleep, he started to rub at his eyes. "You're… smiling."

"Mm-hmm. I had a great sleep, thank you very much."

"Mn." Shōto yawned, slowly pushing himself up. "Any dreams?"

"Actually had a really happy one," I exclaimed. "I dreamed about having my family! We were on the farm, too."

"Oh," came Shōto, rubbing his face before he yawned again—and unfortunately it made me yawn, too. "That's great. Were there five million kids?"

I laughed. "Nah! Just three."

"Any names?"

I scratched my cheek at that, making a face as I tried to remember. "Don't remember the details, to be honest. I tend to forget most of my dreams when I wake up, and only have vague impressions of them."

Shōto gave a small nod of acknowledgement, leaning on my shoulder as he struggled to wake up. "Mn."

Still smiling, I rubbed Shōto's back and gave him a kiss on top of his head. "C'mon, buddy! Time to go to school."

"Or not," Shōto suggested. "Sleep seems good."

"Sleep is very good," I agreed, "but we can do that after school."

"Are you going to sleep here again tonight?"

"If you don't mind?"

"Not at all."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Three days passed. I took detailed notes of everything that transpired in class, and when Izuku's house arrest was up, I gave him the copies. He profusely thanked me after apologizing for the trouble he caused, but I brushed him off.

He was one of my dearest friends. Taking notes was such a minor thing to do for him, it really didn't require any thanks.

I had also chosen to sleep with Shōto for the past few nights. It was decided that I'd try to sleep on my own Fridays and Saturdays, since we didn't have school the following days so I could nap throughout the day if I had to stay up. Shōto thought it was fine to just _keep_ sharing the bed with him, but I didn't want to burden him any more so. I had already woken him up plenty of times from my night terrors.

(Let it be noted that Aizawa knew about the sleeping arrangements but politely pretended not to. He had to know in case of emergency, but he also understood I was… not entirely okay. For the moment, I really couldn't handle an entire night alone. As long as I made the effort to heal, though, he would overlook this infringement.)

At the start of class that day, Shōto began with, "Now that Midoriya-kun is back we'll go into more detail about the work studies. Please come in. We'll have people who experienced it first hand explain it to you."

The front door of the classroom opened up and in stepped three older students. I recognized them immediately as the Big Three.

I knew them in an off-handed way. I had run into them a few times while during errands for Nezu, but I didn't really _know_ them. They were upperclassmen and I was discouraged from bothering the students too much, even if the students approached me first.

Nezu was proud of them, that much I knew, and they weren't star students in their first year. If anything, they barely scraped by in their first year, made it partway through their second, and shot to stardom in their third. It was an impressive climb, and anyone who could show that amount of growth in such a short period of time deserved respect.

I knew their Quirks, too.

( _I knew that soul._ )

"Go ahead and introduce yourself. Amajiki, you go first."

The student on the far right was a lanky boy with black hair that vaguely reminded me of a duck's bottom. He raised his gaze, giving the class one intense look of sheer concentration before immediately losing his nerve and turning around. He was muttering something, but I couldn't hear it.

Amajiki pressed his head into the wall behind him, quivering from what was plainly social anxiety.

 _Ah. I'm glad Nezu made me get a job at a maid cafe,_ I thought while looking sympathetically at the shy boy.

"Oh, listen, Amajiki-kun!" exclaimed the girl with long pale blue hair. "That's called having the heart of a flea. Even though you're a human, how strange." Hado, the girl, turned to the class and gestured to the trembling boy. "This is the flea, Tamaki Amajiki. I'm Nejire Hado. We were asked to talk to you guys about work studies. But hey…"

Hado blinked once, twice, then began to approach the students. "Hey, hey, why are you wearing a mask? Are you sick? Ah! You must be Todoroki-kun. How did you get burned right there? Kiyomi-kun, where do you keep your wand when you fight? Ashido-kun, if your horns break off will new ones grow in? Huh? Mineta-kun, are those balls of yours hair? How do you get a haircut? Asui-kun, you're a tree frog, not a toad, right? Ah, there's so much I want to know about you all."

 _She's kind of like a preschooler,_ I thought.

As Hado began to let out a stream of more questions, Aizawa glowered darkly behind her. "Isn't this irrational?"

Mirio, the final student of the Big Three, was a tall, athletic young man with slick blond hair and dark blue eyes. He flushed upon noticing Aizawa's growing anger and rushed to say, "No need to worry, Eraser Head! I'll wrap things up. The future's gonna be…?"

The class stared blankly at Mirio, no one certain how to answer that question.

( _Awkward as ever, but always so bright. Young one, do you remember us?_ )

( **Do you remember playing with us?** )

"Grim! That's what you're supposed to say," Mirio exclaimed with a massive grin. "All right, my call-and-response was a huge fail! Well you all look like you don't really know what's going on. We're third years who suddenly appeared to explain about work studies that aren't even required. That's confusing, right? Hmm. You guys got your provisional licenses as first years, right? This year's first years are really… energetic, right? Besides, it looked like my jokes didn't work earlier, right? Why don't you all fight me at once?"

"Eh?"

"What?"

"Uh…"

"That's the most logical way to have you guys experience our experience, right, Eraser Head?"

"Do what you want," Aizawa sighed.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

' _Fighting Mirio, huh?'_ I thought to myself, considering how to handle this situation.

( _What sweet memories, little one._ )

He can phase in and out of objects, in addition he can launch himself from the phasing with such ridiculous speed it's almost like teleporting.

But like all those who phase in and out of reality, in order to attack his entire body must be solid. It would be in those moments that we would have to attack.

I knew he was skillful. I knew he was not someone to underestimate.

( **Can he play?** )

To be honest, I wished I could have a chance to fight him one on one instead of with my classmates. I knew their strengths, and weaknesses, and so I knew this battle would largely be one-sided win for Mirio. Izuku would likely be able to find Mirio's weakness, but I didn't think for an instant he'd be able to land a solid hit.

Izuku simply lacked the experience and skill Mirio had acquired.

They all did.

Even Shōto and Katsuki would be hard-pressed to land a hit. That being said, if Shōto kept himself engulfed in flames during the fight, Mirio would find it difficult to blatantly attack him.

 _Should I tell them?_ I wondered as we finished getting dressed and headed to the designated gymnasium. _Should I tell them what Mirio is capable of?_

It might help them.

But it certainly wouldn't turn the tides in their favor. Barely half of my classmates had even received official hand-to-hand combat training, and even less had reflexes honed enough to deal with such a fast-moving target.

They were children.

(So is Mirio)

' _This might be a good chance for them to experience a loss, though,'_ I thought to myself. ' _It's a safe environment, Mirio won't be cruel to them. The villains they've faced up until now have been grunts, or lackies. The truly dangerous ones were handled by adults or—_ '

 _(Us.)_

' _Mirio would be a good example for them. Someone to test themselves against, and keep them humble,'_ We concluded.

(Arrogant children are the first to die.)

I decided to remain quiet. A sense of unease and trepidation held my tongue, and I hoped that they truly would gain _good_ experience from this.

I hoped, with a fervor, they would learn _enough_ from this encounter. They would understand that not all enemies can be beaten.

My walking slowed to a halt as my other classmates passed me by. Aizawa, Cactus-sensei, stopped beside me. Casually, he asked, "Too tired?"

"I know how Mirio fights," I whispered. "They don't."

"Will you tell them?"

"No. He is safe to lose to."

"Are you fighting?" he asked me.

"I don't know. Should I?" My eyes drifted shut, and memories of playful fighting that did not belong to me danced in my head. "Would _you_?"

"Fight him," Aizawa told me. "You might have fun."

( _Fun?_ )

(Will he play with us again?)

(Old souls—)

(Old friends—)

(Old family—)

( _Together again, in a different body, different mind, and different memories. An old soul who smiles just as brightly here as he did before_.)

' _We're the only ones who remember,'_ we thought as we pulled out Cherry. ' _But we're not the only ones who live again.'_

' _Death is neither the end, nor the beginning. It is a bump in the road, a change in environment. Memories ought to fade away with each one, but for us, we cannot let go.'_

' _We cannot let go, and so we desperately hold on to them. We dig our claws, our fangs, our_ everything _into them because letting go seems so much_ _ **worse**_ _.'_

A chance to play with an old friend.

A friend who does not remember us, and who Kiyomi will forget at the end of this dance.

Could we be so selfish as to ask for that?

We took to the stage as the boy who always met with tragedy grinned brightly at us.

' _Not this life,'_ We promised him. ' _This life you'll get your happy ending.'_

The staff released itself, and we stood back as we waited.

There was chatter, and then he moved with hard-earned skill and dedication. One, two, three was down. He waltzed across the stage with familiar grace and strength, and he took down another one, two, three.

He left me alone, not understanding why he did so, and he dug his fists into the stomach of one-two-three-four-five students.

The boy of smiles and sunshine figured it out. We wanted to praise him for his quick-thinking, but now might be the only time we could play with this old soul.

Even with the sun's child discovering what to do, the old soul was too quick and experienced.

(Although it was doubtful he realized it himself. Those with his ability wouldn't master it so quickly in such a short period of time, teacher or not. His experience guided him, although he did not entirely understand it.)

One-two-three—

—And then he came to us, with such speed and precision it made us proud. We couldn't stop from smiling brightly upon seeing how far he had already come this life. Our friend, our comrade, our brother, our sister, our family, already so far.

There was that gleam in his eyes, that gleam that reminded us of different times. He had that dazzling smile, and the charm of being a proper hero this time.

We were so happy for him.

With ease, we swung the staff, and like the dozens of times before, we caught him at that split second. His fist dug into our stomach, and our staff dug into the side of his neck.

The air left us, but we couldn't stop smiling as a flicker of _maybe_ recognition sparked in his eyes.

(But he was too _good_ for it to stay.)

(He knew how to let go.)

( _Why did he let go?_ )

He faltered in his steps, and as the last of 1A still standing, we straightened up and stood above him. He was wincing, rubbing at his neck, but he had this brilliant _grin_ on his face.

"That hurt," he said, eyes bright like the sunrise.

"We know," we said.

Aizawa clapped his hands together, and the old souls blinked once, twice, then left.

I rubbed at my incredibly sore stomach, moaning, while Mirio clutched at his neck. "Ow, ow, ow."

"Ahahaha," Mirio laughed oddly, cringing. "I didn't expect that at all! You totally predicted me. You're, ah, Kiyomi-chan, right?"

He had this warm familiar smile that made me want to smile back. I felt like I was in the presence of an old, and dear friend, and my lips turned up on their own. "Aha, yeah. Nice to properly meet you. You've got one heck of a right hook!"

Mirio held out his hand, and I gladly shook it. "Who trained you?"

"No one," I said. "Ah, please call me Kiyo. All my friends do."

( _Everyone_ , we thought.)

Somehow his grin stretched even wider. "Friends already? Wowza, you move quick."

I blushed at that. "S-Sorry for being presumptuous."

"Nah! I like it. You can call me Mirio!" Mirio declared, releasing my hand and heading back over to grab his pants. "Let's spar again, okay?"

"Mn. I'd like that."

(It's okay you don't remember.)

(Live happy, live freely. Love again, and again.)

(We'll keep all the memories for you.)

(We'll live over, and over.)

(And we'll meet again, and again.)

(So keep smiling, and keep living, so we'll be friends one more time.)

(Just one… more… time.)

* * *

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* * *

In an unremarkable building was an office neatly put together and filled with an assortment of All Might merchandise. A well-dressed man with combed back green and yellow hair sat at a large desk, a permanently sour and somber expression on his face.

Nezu took a seat across from this man, Sir, and politely folded his hands together. He said, "What a lovely office you have."

Sir leaned forward across his desk, adjusting his glasses. "Quite."

A few minutes of silence ticked by as Sir waited for Nezu to speak, but when the principal of U.A. did not do so, Sir cut straight to the chase. "Nezu-san, I know you well enough that you aren't the type for social visits. And the fact that _you're_ here and not one of your teachers..."

"Yes," Nezu said slowly, drawing out the word, the tip of his tail twitching uncomfortably. "What I'm about to share with you is extremely sensitive information. The kind of information that would ruin entire lives if placed in the wrong hands. Arguably, the kind of information that could completely tip the scales in favor of the villains."

Whatever Sir had been expecting, it was _not_ that. His entire posture stilled, and his face darkened even further. "What do you mean?"

"Your Quirk is undoubtedly impressive, and downright scary," Nezu continued softly, a steel edge in his voice. "What if I told you that one of my students had a similar Quirk? Except this student didn't require nearly so many requirements, and could instead see _years_ into the future of many, many people?"

"He would be hunted down by any crime organization," Sir answered immediately, firm in his response. If a student had such an ability he would be a wanted target. But—

"I did not recall seeing any such student on your roster for U.A," Sir remarked.

"It is not her only ability," Nezu admitted. "And she herself is not fully aware of it."

Sir frowned. "Lapse of memory?"

"More like _too much_ memory," Nezu sighed. "Please listen to what I'm about to tell you, because it directly relates to _your_ death, and Mirio-kun becoming disabled."

There was a moment of silence as Sir took in this information with closed eyes. "... I see. Then, please, tell me everything you can."

"Her name is Kiyomi..."

* * *

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* * *

Yep! Mirio is another old soul. I always liked the idea of someone like him being an old soul, since I get that vibe from him in the manga.

 **Answer:** Imagination.

 **Question:** Who would you like to experience an adventure with?

Reviews are **love**!


	18. Eri

**Try saying hello to a tree, or flower. They make great listeners.**

 **Ridiculously kind and flexible Beta: emplatinum**

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◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

My phone buzzed in my skirt pocket right as class ended. Since I was still sitting at my desk, it vibrated loudly enough against the chair to draw attention to it. Shōto, Izuku, and Ochaco glanced over at me as I pulled out my phone.

Nezu had texted me: _**Are you free to meet with me after school today? I want to introduce you to someone.**_

I replied back with: _**Of course. Be with you in one minute.**_

"I've gotta go meet with Shishō," I apologized to my friends. "He wants to introduce me to someone. I'll have to hang out with you guys later."

"Okay," Izuku said. "See you later, Kiyo-chan."

"Bye-bye."

In between one moment and the next I had teleported directly in front of Nezu. Oddly enough my mentor was not in his office, but in someone else's office. A quick glance around showed me that whoever owned this office was definitely a fan of All Might, albeit with enough professionalism to keep it reigned in.

Eventually my gaze landed on the man that had to own the office. He was tall, lean, and had an unsettlingly sharp eyes. He was well dressed, and steepled his fingers together as he sat behind a large desk.

Nezu patted a chair beside him with his paw. "Come sit, Kiyo-chan. This is Sir Nighteye."

The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. I gave him a smile, reaching over the desk and offering my hand for a handshake. He met it halfway, gripping my hand tightly. "Hello, Sir Nighteye. I'm Marin Kiyomi, but my hero name is Saki."

"A pleasure," he said in a quiet voice. "Nezu has told me a lot about you."

"O-Oh?" I squeaked out, a little nervous at how the man kept staring at me with such intense focus. "I hope good things."

"I may have mentioned a couple of times you called the secretary a sugar mama," Nezu casually slipped in while I spluttered, my face hot.

' _Oh,_ God _, damn you habit of flirting with older women!'_

"I-I-I—"

"Relax, Kiyo-chan. Sir Nighteye actually has a very good sense of humor," Nezu teased, patting the chair beside him once again. "Come sit."

Still red-faced, I obeyed, brushing out nonexistent wrinkles in my skirt while doing so. Swallowing back my nerves I asked, "How may I help you?"

Sir Nighteye narrowed his eyes. "You know of the hero internship, I take it?"

"Yes, sir. Cac—er—Aizawa-sensei told us today that we had the approval to try for some," I answered. "They're activities to be conducted outside of class at the student's discretion."

He nodded once. "Then I do not have to waste time. I am here to offer you an internship with me."

"You... want to mentor me?" I repeated, stunned, then my eyes lit up. "Oh! Oh, yes, please."

"This will only be temporary," Sir Nighteye stressed. "But I believe you will be well suited for an... upcoming mission."

(M-i-s-s-i-o-n?)

( _Shall we_ _ **hunt**_ _?_ )

"I understand," I agreed. There really was no reason to refuse. Even if I only had the opportunity to work with Sir Nighteye for a small amount of time, the experience would still be invaluable. "Thank you, sir."

"I have one other understudy, Mirio—"

( _My friend?_ )

"—who will be arriving here shortly. Introduce yourself before returning to school."

"Yes, sir," I said, standing back up. "Um—what time—"

"Mirio will fill you in on the details," Sir Nighteye responded. "Dismissed."

"Yes, sir," I said again, taking a small bow and heading out the only door in the office.

' _If Mirio is on the way, then I guess I should just wait by the front door?'_ I figured, heading down the hallway to where the staircase was marked. Barely thirty seconds later I had reached the front door of the building, and with impeccable timing I found that Mirio was approaching the building alongside his two friends.

' _Do they all walk together?'_ I wondered. ' _The other two must have internships, too.'_

( _Hello, hello, do you remember me?_ )

A surge of affection shot through me and my body moved on its own accord.

Upon seeing Mirio, I automatically stepped forward and hugged him like he was a dear, dear friend. He immediately hugged me back, almost like a reflex.

"Ah—do you two actually know each other?" Hado asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

We both flushed, stepping back and exchanging bewildered glances. I honestly didn't have a good explanation. An instinctual part of me instantly liked Mirio.

It wasn't something I could explain, and the more I thought about it the odder it sounded.

My wand normally took years to bond with an individual before I could teleport them along with me. There were some cases where the bond took less time, and others where the bond dragged out.

But with Mirio?

It bonded with him _instantly_.

How was that possible?

It shouldn't have been.

My wand had to know the person—know the soul—for _years_ and yet it instantly knew Mirio?

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that my wand—my soul—that _I—_ had known him for a terribly long time.

Mirio sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, giving his friends an awkward smile. "I swear we haven't met before, but I get this crazy déjà vu when I see her. Haha, maybe we were best friends in another life!"

I nervously laughed at that. "Maybe. I—I kind of feel the same."

"How neat! How fascinating! What's it like? What do you feel? Do you think maybe you two met a long time ago when you were kids? Oooh, Mirio-kun, do you _like_ her?"

The two of us fidgeted under her barrage of questions. I tried to answer them—more so because I was curious if Mirio felt the same way.

"It's like seeing someone dear to you that you thought you had lost," I tried to explain. "Happy, sad, and relieved, I guess?"

Mirio nodded firmly at that, his eyes shining like the milky way. "Yeah! Exactly. Man, I'm glad you feel the same, I thought I was going crazy."

"Me, too. Gosh how weird! But, I guess this just means we were destined to be best friends," I joked.

He flashed me a dazzling grin and a thumbs up. "Yep! It's decided, you're officially one of my best friends. Here, let's exchange numbers."

I grinned. "Sure."

"So what are you doing here?" Mirio asked as he plugged his number into my phone.

"Oh… um… I guess I just accepted an internship with Sir Nighteye."

Mirio stared at me for a moment, his eyes widening, then he burst out into infectious laughter. "AHAHAHAHA! We really are, hahaha, destined to be friends, _pffft_. Jeepers!"

"I guess we're platonic soulmates," I joked.

Mirio's grin was brighter than the sun.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

A couple days later, that Thursday, I sat at lunch with my friends. We were chatting about homework when Izuku recalled something. His eyes lit up with remembrance and he tapped his forehead.

"I almost forgot, I need to get a hold of Togata-senpai," Izuku said.

"Oh, I can give him a call," I offered.

"You have his number?" Ochaco asked in surprise. "How?"

"We ran into each other and it was decided that we were destined to be good friends," I explained. "My wand instantly bonded with him."

"WHAT!" Ochaco shrieked while Izuku shouted, Shōto even paused mid bite of his soba noodles to give me a look of clear disbelief.

"What kind of unfairness is that?!" Ochaco demanded. "Your wand hasn't even bonded with me yet, but _he_ gets the free transportation already?!"

"How is that possible? Magi Quirks takes _months_ , at minimum, to bond with a stranger. That's not possible. That has never happened before. How? _How_?" Izuku began to mutter to himself, eyes wide as he tried to process the sheer impossibility of that.

Shōto slowly lowered his chopsticks, frowning thoughtfully. "Did you meet him when you were younger, maybe?"

"I, uh, I don't think so? But that's really the only explanation, right? But still... bonding requires repeated exposures." I shrugged. "Honestly? I have no clue what happened, but I'm just going with it."

Shōto nodded. "Okay. I'm glad you made another friend."

I beamed. "Thanks! I love making friends."

He smiled. "I know."

"You listen here, Kiyo-chan's wand," Ochaco whispered, glaring at my chest. "You better bond with me ASAP or we're going to have issues."

"My wand says it'll work on it," I deadpanned.

" _Good_."

Izuku shook his head. "Um… since you have senpai's number, can you ask him what time we start the internship?"

"Internship… wait… Izu-chan did you start an internship with Sir Nighteye, too?!"

Izuku gaped at me. "You—ugh. Of course you were able to make him laugh easily, weren't you?"

"Laugh?" I repeated, confused. "Shishō just introduced us and Sir Nighteye offered me a temporary internship."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "O-Oh? Is that right? Ahaha, I see…"

"Izu-chan, what happened?"

"Nothing," Izuku insisted. "Nothing at all—um—hey, would you mind making more of Baba's sugar cookies tonight?"

"Wha—sure," I said, blinking in surprise at the abrupt change in conversation.

"Did I hear the name of heaven's cookies?" Mina called out from across the cafeteria.

"Yep! Kiyo-chan's gonna make more tonight," Ochaco chirped.

This was met with applause from various students of 1A, and confused looks from those of 1B.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Friday evening after class Izuku, Mirio, and I switched over into our hero costumes and I teleported all three of us to Sir Nighteye's office.

It was a gorgeous day with soft clouds painted overhead. The warm colors of the sunset set the whole city aglow, and the white noise produced by the city merrily went on in the background.

We met with Sir Nighteye and Bubble Girl-one of Sir Nighteye's sidekicks with a _bubbly_ personality-and the stoic man immediately said, "Today we'll be conducting both patrol and surveillance work. Bubble Girl will stay with me, while you three will form your own group."

"Surveillance?" Izuku repeated.

Bubble Girl's lips stretched wide over her face, a twinkle in her eye as she gave Izuku a thumbs up. "Night Eye Offices are in the middle of a secret investigation."

"We're tracking a small group of villains named the Eightfold Cleansers." Sir Nighteye pulled out a picture of a young man in an odd beak-like mask. "The capo in this photo, a man named Chisaki, has begun to display some odd actions. The plague mask is his trademark."

Izuku accepted the photo, and I peered over his shoulder to examine the villain. Izuku frowned as he remarked, "A group of yakuzas… but nowadays those kinds of people are lying low or at least that's their image."

Bubble Girl explained, "Yeah because way back they were pretty much dismantled. But this Chisaki guy started reassembling them for some reason. They even made contact with the Villain Alliance recently. We don't know the details, though."

Izuku and I exchanged alarmed glances at that.

It hadn't been that long ago that the Villain Alliance had kidnapped Katsuki and me for reasons unknown.

"But," Sir Nighteye cooly interjected, "direct evidence of him plotting evil remains elusive. We must treat them cautiously, and appropriately. What my offices are after is proof of criminal activity from them… while never attracting their suspicion."

"Yes, sir!"

And off we went.

The patrol was quiet the first fifteen minutes in.

Izuku and Mirio walked beside each other on the streets, while I hopped from rooftop to rooftop, occasionally using my bubbles as stepping stones.

I half listened to Mirio and Izuku quietly talking to one another, my gaze roaming. There was an itch in my head, a cold needle pricking my stomach. All last night I had dreamed about faceless children running up to me and calling me momma, or papa. It was such a warm and loving dream, in contrast to my usual nightly visions. When I woke up, my heart was lighter than it had been in weeks, and I wore the biggest smile all day.

Until patrol began.

At first I might have dismissed my unease as nerves. Sir was a prestigious hero, and from what I understood Nezu had to call in a favor to get me an internship with him. I was obviously very grateful for my master, and I didn't want to disappoint either hero.

But it _wasn't_ just nerves.

Something important was going to happen.

I knew it, and I knew that _I_ had to be the one to act.

It made my whole body tense, and my mind fought to try and make sense of my feelings. The more I focused on it, the more I kept seeing a vague image of _daughter_ , or _child_.

The fact that this little girl was surrounded by blood, intestines, and mutilated bits of her own body didn't help with my mounting anxiety.

Then it came.

I stood on the rooftop and just before I was about to hop across it to reach the next one _I saw her_.

( _We saw her._ )

Tiny, sweet, covered in bandages from injuries too cruel for a child to have. She ran down the alley, her face contorted in plain fear as her white hair flew behind her.

Everything s-t-o-p-p-e-d.

I moved without thought, without care for consequences.

I threw down a smoke pellet just as Izuku and Mirio turned to notice the girl heading towards them. The smoke filled the entire alleyway and the man pursuing the sweet little girl froze for a millisecond.

But I went down into the smoke, my hands grabbing on to her, _onto Eri_ , and I pulled her into my embrace. She was coughing from the smoke, but I didn't dare stop so soon to soothe her. With Petal Step, I flew up into the air as fast as I could and I carried her far, far away. I kept moving, as she held on tightly to me, wholly focused on going to the one place I could trust.

My phone buzzed from my belt, and since I had already traveled over a kilometer away, I decided to pause in the air to answer. I used a third bubble to wrap around us and shield us from the heavy winds from being up so high.

I answered it, "Hello?"

"K—er—Saki! Was that you? What's going on?" Izuku whispered quietly into the phone. "Did you see a girl?"

"I'm sorry, Izu-chan," I apologized, as bits and pieces of memories that did not belong to me started to surface. "But I have to save someone. Please tell Sir that I'm going back to Nezu's office and I'm sorry for any trouble."

I hung up the phone before he could protest and the girl, Eri, looked up at me with wide, watery eyes. "You… saved me?"

I adjusted her in my arms so I could tenderly brush back a lock of her hair behind her ear. **We** smiled at her like a mother would a child. "Always, dear. W—I will protect you. I promise."

There was a moment of disbelief on her face, but then it scrunched up as tears started to fall out of her eyes. We—I pulled her in close, gently patting her head and rocking her. With a soothing voice, I cooed sweet things into her ear.

' _We'll keep you safe, sweet little girl.'_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Small note: Changed Shōta to Aizawa in all previous chapters, and updated scene break. It was getting increasingly annoying to write Shōto and Shōta since they're only a letter apart. Canonically Kiyomi will still refer to Shōta Aizawa as Shouta in her head, but for the sake of writing I'll use Aizawa.

Also working on a FMA fanfic if anyone is interested called _Pride & Humility_.

 **Answer** : Ainz-sama. Fella is ridiculously prepared.

 **Question** : You are the monarch of a kingdom. What kind of monarch are you, what is your kingdom known for, and who do you share the throne with?

Reviews are **love**!


	19. Day Lily

**Innocence is a kind of insanity. Feel no shame for having it, nor any shame for losing it.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **(Eri)**

Eri's heart pounded harshly inside her chest as she finally mustered up the courage inside of her to sprint away.

Away from the terribly painful, and cruel hands that would grab her, and break her.

She was barefoot, her feet slapping hard against the cool concrete of the alleyway. She had bandages over the bruises and scrapes that had not yet healed, and her hair whipped past her as she ran with all her might.

She could see the end of the alley, the end of the darkness, and her heart leapt up into her throat. The small curdles of hope grew inside of her as she saw two people beginning to walk by and then—

Smoke erupted around her, thick, heavy, and suffocating. Eri stumbled, coughing at the onslaught.

Hands grabbed onto her, lifting her up, and Eri reflexively froze.

But when the smoke cleared Eri realized they were not the hands of someone evil.

Someone kind held her. They were warm, and gentle, and Eri looked up at this new face in disbelief.

It took her several seconds to realize she was up so high, but all Eri could think about was how this person was holding her with such gentleness.

Her grip on Eri was firm, but not so much it hurt her.

This pink haired witch glided through the air as she carried Eri.

' _Am I dreaming?'_ Eri wondered as pink bubbles conjured up around them, protecting them against the wind.

There was the sound of a phone vibrating, and the witch blinked in surprise at that. The red-eyed lady pulled out a phone. "Hello?"

Eri couldn't hear what was said.

"I'm sorry, Izu-chan," the warm lady responded, her tone sincere. "But I have to save someone. Please tell Sir that I'm going back to Nezu's office and I'm sorry for any trouble."

' _Save… someone?'_

Eri's eyes widened as her breath hitched. Disbelief floored her, and she didn't want to ask her next question. She was terrified of the answer, of the potential _no_. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from daring.

"You… saved me?" Eri whispered, her voice trembling and her eyes starting to burn.

The witch looked down at Eri with eyes filled with more warmth than Eri had seen in her entire life. She raised a hand, tenderly brushing back a piece of Eri's hair behind Eri's ear. The witch smiled in a way that reminded Eri of what a mother ought to be like, of what a mother looked like on television or in those fairytale stories.

"Always, dear," the witch cooed. "W—I will protect you. I promise."

Tears spilled over Eri's eyes, and the motherly witch pulled Eri closer, kissing the top of her head and starting to rock her. She whispered comforting words, and offered promises too sweet for Eri to believe.

' _Please don't let this be a dream.'_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **(Kiyomi)**

I held Eri close to me as I took her to safety. My heart swelled with concern as I looked at her, and I was overcome by a ferocious protectiveness. I was already plenty protective with all of the small children back home, but those were children _I_ had changed their diapers for and watched grow up.

I definitely hadn't met Eri previously.

But I felt like I knew her as well as all my other little brothers and sisters.

And what I knew was that this sweet little soul had been through hell.

She needed me.

( _She needs us._ )

There was an ember of—of _something_ inside my chest that only grew hotter, and more uncomfortable as I held her. This surge of heat unsettled me, and as much as I wished I could take a moment to calm down I felt like I didn't have time.

I had to get her to safety above all else.

I Petal-Stepped all the way back to U.A. and straight to Nezu's office. My guardian was certainly surprised to find me knocking at his window, giving a startled shout as soon as he noticed me.

He rushed over to his window to unlock it, and I stepped inside with a sheepish smile.

"K-Kiyo-chan, what on—who is that?" Nezu asked when he saw Eri in my arms. His eyes widened considerably when he examined Eri further. "E-Eri? So soon?"

' _Huh?'_

"Shishō, do you know her?" I gently readjusted her in my grip.

"Uh—um—she's part of an ongoing investigation Sir Nighteye has been conducting for several months," Nezu quickly explained, his tail swishing in an oddly flustered manner. "Kiyo-chan what's happened? Why do you have her now?"

I shifted my weight to the back of my heels. "I was on patrol with Izu-chan and O—Mirio-senpai. When I saw Eri in the alleway running, I—well I don't entirely know how to explain what came over me. I thought she needed help, and I had this—this gut feeling that I had to save her _right now_. I threw down a smoke screen, grabbed her, and came straight here."

"I see." Nezu let out a soft breath, his tail falling still. "You did good, Kiyo-chan. Why don't you take her to Recovery Girl and then you can tell me—" Nezu stopped himself when he saw me reflexively hold her closer to me. "Ah… Kiyo-chan, perhaps you would like to stay with Eri-chan?"

"Um…"

Nezu tilted his head. He was silent for a few minutes, his small black eyes narrowed in thought. "It would be good for your wand to bond with her sooner than later. My… source told me she might remain a target for quite some time."

"I won't let anyone get to her," the words growled out without my consent.

"I know," Nezu soothed me, and I tried to shove down this strange surge of anger. "For now, please take her to Recovery Girl and stay with her. I must contact Sir Nighteye about this development."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Taking Eri to Recovery Girl was simple. Letting Recovery Girl take her out of my arms was another matter entirely.

It was… it was so _odd_.

I hadn't felt such—such alien emotions since I first met Mirio, Shōto, or Izuku.

Although, I had to admit Mirio was a special exception. How I felt about him was like a tidal wave crashing into my chest. Painfully powerful, a little scary, and overwhelmingly hard. A deep seated part of me was joyous to have Mirio as part of my life—

( _again_ )

—and it dominated me. I was almost drowning in these clawing feelings of relief, joy, and—and _grief_.

Izuku and Shōto caused akin reactions when I met them, but not so… not so crushing. If I had to compare them to Mirio's then I would describe them as echoes.

( _Like souls so similar it hurts_ )

Meeting Izuku was like greeting the sun. He was warmth, bubbles, and joy. He was smiles, and echoes of laughter and childish innocence. Izuku filled my chest up with such tender warmth it felt like I could breathe easier around him, like I could truly relax beside him. I loved Izuku like he was a precious little brother, and I loved him _instantly_.

( _He reminds us of them._ )

Shōto was like Izuku. I loved him the moment I saw him—although that _type_ of love has adjusted over the years—and he was someone I felt completely at ease with. He wasn't the sun, but rather the cool refreshing night. There was no childish innocence about him, but a sweetness that couldn't be dismissed. He was gentle breezes of fresh air, soft smiles, and unwavering serene.

( _Maybe we do know them, but it hurts too much to remember?_ )

How I felt for Izuku and Shōto was damn powerful, but it didn't overwhelm me like Mirio. I still had control over myself, and I could still act as _me_.

And now with Eri?

 _(Oh, my child._ )

She sat somewhere in the middle.

There was a snarling, furious lion pacing inside my chest. It growled at seeing every bump, every bruise, every injury on her. It roared for the blood of those who hurt her. It burned with such fervor inside of me, it physically _hurt_ to breathe.

Yet it was not so staggering that I could not function, that I could not act of my own accord.

It made me wonder—

' _Who am I really?'_

But asking that question made me queasy, and my head hurt. The whispers of the faceless ones grew harsher, forewarning me against that.

' _Why do I feel this? Are these feelings really_ mine _?'_

I didn't like to question this. I didn't like to even think about it; to consider the fact that I heard voices, and saw things. I ignored it, and the more I did so the easier it became. There were even days I could forget about my dreams and what I heard inside my head.

Letting my thoughts linger on them—

 _Thump-thump_.

A non-existent hammer slammed against my head, and I clutched at it, biting my bottom lip to keep from crying out. Thankfully, Recovery Girl was focused on tending to the sleeping Eri, and did not notice me.

The ringing in my head abruptly stopped all of my thoughts. The rising nausea made me grit my teeth and curl over in my seat as I waited for it to pass.

( _You don't want this. Please, just be Kiyomi_ , whispered Blessed. _Leave the burdens to me._ )

' _Why do we hold on to them at all?'_ I—We—I managed to think. ' _Why can't we_ let go _?!'_

( _Can you?_ )

Another hammer banged the side of my head, but with it came abrupt silence. The anger, the lion inside my chest, quieted. I took in a shaky breath, taking deep breaths until the pain and nausea subsided.

How did one begin to describe the sensation of knowing things that _you_ didn't actually know? The taste of echoes? Of feeling waves wash over your mind to touch you with something familiar, only to pull back away and leave you without _anything_?

' _Stop,'_ I told myself. ' _I'm not going anywhere with it today.'_

And besides…

I rubbed at my face, pushing down the snarling lion in my chest. I glanced over at Eri, looking at her peaceful form.

' _Right now, it doesn't matter. Right now, I just need to focus on keeping her safe.'_

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

A few hours later Eri blearily blinked her eyes open. She stared blankly up at the ceiling for a few seconds before she abruptly sat up with a gasp. She looked around the nurse's office, eyes wide in disbelief until she noticed me sitting beside her.

"Witch?" she asked me, her voice shaky.

I offered her a reassuring smile. "I'm Kiyomi, but my friends call me Kiyo. You can call me Nee-chan, if you want."

Eri's shoulders hunched together nervously, her eyelids lowering as she cautiously assessed me. "I'm Eri."

"Nice to meet you, Eri-chan."

She looked down at her bandage-free hands and the bed she had been resting in. "Where are we?"

"U.A.," I answered. "I rescued you."

Her bottom lip quivered, her red eyes—like my own—stared back at me with incredulity. "You rescued me?"

"I rescued you," I repeated, keeping my voice calm and steady as to not startle her. "You are safe now, Eri-chan."

"I'm safe?" she echoed me, a dazed look entering her gaze. She glanced outside the window on her right, staring at the night sky. "I'm safe? Really? I'm… safe?"

I slowly reached out a hand, placing it on top of her head. "You are absolutely safe."

Her body trembled. She bowed her head as tears of relief slipped out of her eyes. "Th—Thank—Thank you."

"Oh," slipped out of me as I moved to sit on her bed and pull her into my lap like I would for any other child back home. She stiffened like a board, eyes widening like a deer in headlights, but she allowed me to reposition her so I could hold her and rock her.

"There, there now," I soothed, gently kissing the top of her head. The anger inside of me quelled at her tears, with only genuine concern taking its place. "It's okay, Eri-chan. You can let it all out. You are, without a doubt, completely and totally safe now. I promise I will never let anyone get to you."

She didn't seem to know what to do right away, but after a few minutes she began to relax. She turned into me, tiny hands grabbing onto my clothes as she let out a silent sob. I brushed back her hair, rubbed her back, and did my best to reassure her.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed. Enough of it that Eri had cried herself back to sleep, and Chiyo had come back to check on us.

"You've always been so good with kids," Chiyo commented with a smile. "Are you wanting to stay the night, Kiyo-chan?"

"If you don't mind," I responded quietly, still rubbing Eri's back. "I feel… worried about her."

"Very well, then. It'd be for the best if someone stayed with her for the night, anyway. I'll let Nezu and Aizawa know."

"Mn. Thank you."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Eri ended up sleeping through the night in my arms. I had to readjust a few times to compensate for my legs falling asleep, but it wasn't too bad.

Plus, when Eri woke up and realized she had fallen asleep on my lap—and slept on it throughout the night—she had such a look of adorable incredulity that it was absolutely worth it.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Come morning my legs felt like lead, Eri was in a much better mood, and Nezu happily brought us breakfast. He cheerfully greeted us as he rolled in a cart that was covered in a wide variety of breakfast foods.

"Good morning girls," Nezu greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Eri mutely shrugged, lowering her gaze. She shifted her weight in my lap, her tiny hand curling around the fabric of my cloak.

"Mm-hmm. Kiyo-chan, how was sleeping in your hero outfit for the first time?" Nezu asked as he took a seat beside the bed.

"Surprisingly okay," I answered with a grin. "I had to take off the staff though, it kept digging in."

"That's wonderful to hear. Are you two hungry?"

"I could eat," I said, glancing down at Eri who was now staring fixedately at the pancakes. "Eri-chan, want to eat with me?"

Her head snapped up at my question, our matching red eyes meeting. She gave a slow nod at that, a small frown tugging on her lips.

If she were one of the children back home I would have pinched her cheeks to make her smile.

' _But she's been through a lot. The abrupt transition overwhelmed her yesterday, and now it looks like she's still processing it. I have to remain calm, and take it slow with her.'_

Psychology classes were required to graduate from U.A. but they were usually taken in second and third year. Heroes were the first ones trauma victims would see on the scene, and consequently heroes _had_ to know how to not exaggerate the trauma or trigger psychotic episodes.

Nezu had published a few textbooks in regard to how essential it was for heroes to understand and follow through with this knowledge. Especially when dealing with children. A hero with poor manners could end up turning a small trauma into something truly major that could carry over into adulthood.

And judging by Eri's injuries, and reaction to being _rescued_ , I could safely guess that she was put in a life-threatening situation that involved physical abuse.

Something that would undoubtedly take time to heal from.

I reached across to pull over the over-bed table before grabbing the plate of pancakes she had previously been eyeing. She hesitantly poked the food in front of her for a few minutes before taking the first bite.

She chewed slowly, as if checking for any oddities, before the tiniest of smiles curled on her lips and she began to eat her pancakes with gusto.

Since eating anything that required a plate was impossible with a child in my lap, I grabbed a couple of the donuts.

We ate in silence, Eri wholly focused on her pancakes. Only when she was done eating did Nezu break that silence.

"Perhaps now would be a good time for proper introductions?" Nezu suggested, offering Eri a kind smile. "I'm Nezu, the principal of U.A. and Kiyo-chan's guardian."

He held out one of his paws, and Eri stared at it for a long minute before she accepted it. In a soft mutter she said, "Eri."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Eri-chan. I'm sure you have a lot of questions about what's going on now, so please go ahead and ask," Nezu encouraged.

Eri's eyes dragged back up to mine, her expression unreadable, but her tone conveying childish fear as she asked, "Why?"

It took a couple seconds for me to realize what she was asking. I smiled as warmly as I could at her, gently cupping her cheek. "That's just what heroes do—what I do. How could I _not_ when I saw you?"

Her lip trembled again, but no tears came this time. She was too tired to cry again, so instead she lowered her gaze and whispered, "Thank you."

I leaned down and kissed the top of her head—she stiffened for a split second before relaxing. "Always, my dear."

Nezu and I patiently waited for Eri to recollect herself. She still clutched tightly onto my cloak, but there was a certain level of confidence in her gaze now. A type of hopeful trust she was placing in us.

She asked us, "What now?"

"Now you will be placed under our protection," Nezu answered, then chuckled. "As I still have the guardianship paperwork on my desk, if all goes well… I will be your new guardian."

Eri blinked at that. "Goes well?"

Nezu's voice was gentle. "Eri-chan, the heroes have been investigating the group that held you hostage. We'll be putting them behind bars soon. As you have no other living relatives you'll need a new guardian… Unless, is there someone you want to stay with?"

She leaned into me, her red eyes staring unblinkingly at Nezu.

"I'm afraid Kiyo-chan is legally too young to have guardianship over you, but she'd become your sister when I become your guardian," Nezu chuckled.

"Okay," she said.

"We are currently setting up housing for you at U.A., but it's not yet ready," Nezu said, glancing over at me. "Kiyo-chan, I'm sure you won't mind watching Eri-chan for today until it is ready?"

"Of course not," I answered, patting Eri's back. "Eri-chan, want to spend the day with me?"

"Okay," she said.

"Then let me introduce you to my friends."

"I'll text you where to meet after dinner," Nezu said. "Everything should be ready by then."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Chiyo the Recovery Girl had gotten some clothes for Eri to change into—some overalls and a shirt—which Eri changed into without a fuss. Once she was ready to go, I picked her up to carry her on my hip.

Since she would likely be staying at U.A., I decided to give her a tour before I headed over to the dormitories, showing her where my class was in case she needed to find me.

She did a good job reciting the routes to me.

Although whenever we were spotted by another student or teacher, she would duck her head into my neck and shyly cover her face.

After about an hour of touring I headed over to my dormitory. As Eri and I were entering it, however, Mina and Ochaco were exiting it.

"Kiyo-chan!" they exclaimed.

"Where were you last night?" Ochaco asked me before she noticed Eri. "Oh my gosh, who's this?"

"She's adorable!" Mina squealed, waving both her hands at Eri. "Hi, hi! I'm Mina!"

"Mina-chan, Ocha-chan, this is Eri-chan," I introduced, thinking quickly about how to explain Eri.

' _Nezu said she was part of an ongoing investigation… then I probably can't say too much.'_

"Eri-chan is my new little sister," I settled on, trying to convey a look of: _I can't say much right now, please don't ask!_

It must have worked because both offered me a slight nod.

"Well you're very lucky to have Kiyo-chan as your big sister, she's quite the baking queen!" Mina told Eri with a huge grin.

Ochaco nodded firmly. "Mm-hmm! Are you showing Eri-chan the dorms?"

"Yeah, do you know who's there?"

"I think everyone is still in for now," Mina said. "We can gather them up for you, if you wanna show Eri-chan your room first."

"Oh, would you? Thank you."

By the time I was finished showing Eri my bedroom—and giving her one of my stuffed animals when she kept looking at it—Mina and Ochaco had finished gathering up most of 1A. Unsurprisingly Katsuki didn't give a flying hoot, and didn't come, but that was fine. I didn't want him around Eri until I got a chance to warn him about her trauma so he knew to be kind.

Or else I'd break his collarbone.

The moment Eri realized how many students there were, her big red eyes widened and she abruptly buried her face in my neck.

"Holy crap!" Denki shouted. "She—she has your eyes! And Todoroki's hair!"

"Oh my God!" Mina exclaimed. "You're right!"

"Oh my."

"Congrats guys."

"When's the wedding?"

I resisted the urge to facepalm as my classmates and friends teased a deadpan Shōto and me.

"It'll be a spring wedding, of course," I sarcastically bit out. "You'll get your invites later."

"Will the cake be chocolate?" Ochaco asked, perfectly serious.

"Okay, returning to the matter at hand," I said loudly when the others started to chuckle. "Everyone, this is my new little sister Eri-chan. Eri-chan, would you like to say hi to everyone?"

Eri reluctantly turned her head around enough to murmur a shy, "Hello."

There was a collection of: "Awww."

While Eri was still poking her face out, I went ahead and gave her one-on-one introductions. She politely returned each greeting with an adorable one of her own. However, by the time introductions were over she was back to covering her face and clutching tightly onto my cloak.

' _Overwhelmed?'_ I guessed.

"Eri-chan?" I delicately asked, drawing her attention back on me. "Would you like to make some sugar cookies with me?"

She tentatively nodded her head.

"Okay. Everyone, would you mind giving us some space while we bake?" I offered my classmates a smile.

They agreed, and off we went to the kitchen.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Baking sugar cookies turned into also baking a cake, making lunch, baking more stuff that Mina found online that she thought looked adorable, and finally reading aloud some stories to Eri… and Mina… while the two girls ate an overload of sweets.

When it was time to meet up with Nezu, he sent a text telling me to bring Eri to Aizawa's room in the dormitories.

Aizawa was one of two teachers who stayed in the 1A dormitories with the other being Nemuri. Both of their rooms were on the first floor, and were obviously much bigger than the student dorm rooms—complete with their own kitchens, bathrooms, and spare rooms.

Nezu and Aizawa both met with us outside of Aizawa's apartment, a sugared-out Eri half-asleep in my arms.

"Eri will be staying with Aizawa-san in Class 1A dormitories after school, and with me during the day," Nezu said, as Aizawa opened up the apartment door to allow us in. "Kiyo-chan, I've given Aizawa-san permission to pull you away if he requires any assistance with Eri-chan."

"Understood," I said, stepping into the apartment and readjusting my hold on Eri.

I could see an open bedroom that looked like it was recently filled with toys and child-like furniture.

"Ah, it looks like that's your new room, Eri-chan," I said, gently nudging her.

Eri cautiously looked at it, tossing skeptical glances over at the permanently sleep-deprived Aizawa before she gave a big yawn.

"Let's get her tucked in for now," Nezu suggested. "We don't want to overwhelm her."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Bonus** (after Eri has been tucked in and before Kiyomi leaves):

"You're taking her with you when you graduate," Aizawa warned me.

"Okay," I accepted easily.

"I'm not joking."

"Neither am I."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Omake 1** (NOT CANON):

"This our new daughter, Eri-chan," I introduced Eri to Shōto.

"Hello, daughter," Shōto said.

"Hello," Eri echoed.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Omake 2** (NOT CANON:

"Oh… okay, I'll be right there," Kiyomi said with a sigh, lifting Eri off her lap and giving her to Shōto.

Shōto awkwardly accepted her, and Eri stared blankly at him as Kiyomi headed off.

Izuku tried not to laugh at how Shōto struggled to properly hold Eri. "You're going to need a lot more practice. You know she wants like five million, right?"

"Working on it," he muttered.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Confession: I'm not caught up on the manga so I'm basing a lot of what I know on Eri off the wikipedia, my own interactions with kiddos, and what I've researched on the psychology of child trauma. *thumbs up*

I added the little omakes because they made me giggle and I thought they might make at least a few of you smile. :)

And yes, why Eri, Sho, and Izu make Kiyomi react a certain way is kept a little vague for now. No worries, it'll be explained later.

 **Answer:** Monarch of a fantastical kingdom known for their prowess in magic, and dragons.

 **Question:** If you were a farmer that could make a decent profit off anything you grew, what would you grow, or farm? Can include animal products, but no more than 3.

Reviews are **love**!


	20. Fallen Little Angel

**It's okay to take comfort in materialistic things. As long as it truly helps you, don't let anyone tell you it's wrong.**

 **Beta: emplatinum**

* * *

 **◟(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

After Eri had gone to sleep the night before, I was effectively shooed out and sent back to my room. While a part of me wished Eri could have continued to stay with me, I knew she was in good hands. Aizawa might have been a cactus, but he was a cactus with honey on the inside and knew how to appropriately handle traumatized children.

I could rest easily knowing Eri was with him.

Not literally, of course, because night terrors didn't magically vanish.

But I thought they got a little bit more bearable.

I had slept with Izuku Sunday night and went back to classes on Monday. Nothing special happened during class, and it went by quick enough. The moment the final bell rang, though—

"I'm going to check up on Eri," I said, hoisting my backpack up over my shoulder. "Anyone wanna come with?"

"Sure," Izuku said with a sweet smile.

"I wanna come, too! She was crazy adorable," Ochaco added, putting away her books.

"I would like to join," Shōto said softly.

"Good…" I said with a slow smile as I stretched out my hand. "Then how about y'all grab on to me?"

Ochaco gasped. "Wait… _all_?"

"That's right, dear! You're in the carpool club now."

The delight and excitement on her face was enough to make me beam. She threw her arms around me in a tight hug as Shōto and Izuku took my other hands. With a flex of my wand I teleported all of us to Nezu's office where Eri had been doodling at his desk.

As soon as she noticed us, she stopped what she was doing and got up from her seat, her eyes wide. "Ne—Kiyomi-san!"

Ochaco released me so I could swoop down to Eri and pick her up. I nuzzled her cheek and kissed her nose. "Hello, my little angel."

Eri blushed under my affection, wiggling in my arms out of embarrassment, but not enough to tell me she wanted me to put her down. Shyly, in the smallest and cutest voice I had ever heard, she said, "Hi."

"My eyes have been cleansed after a day of schoolwork," Ochaco sighed, leaning over my shoulder to give Eri a soft smile. "Hi, Eri-chan! I'm Ochaco, Kiyo-chan's friend."

I adjusted Eri in my arms as she greeted Ochaco with another cute, "Hello."

"Good afternoon Kiyo-chan, Uraraka-kun, Midoriya-kun, and Todoroki-kun," Nezu said cheerfully, capping his pen and straightening up in his seat at his desk. "Here to visit Eri-chan?"

"Mind if we steal her?" I asked.

"Keep her on campus and have her back for bed time at Aizawa-san's apartment," he said. "Eri-chan, are you okay with that?"

"Mm-hmm!" Eri rested her head on my shoulder, her arms wrapping around my neck.

' _I can literally feel my stress melting away,'_ I thought to myself, bubbles of warmth popping inside my belly and heart. The only word that could begin to describe how I felt was giddy, and that was something I hadn't been able to feel since—

Since Baba and Papa—

Well.

It was nice.

"Eri-chan, is there anything you'd like to do?" I asked her. Shōto deftly unhooked my backpack off my shoulders and hooked it around his other shoulder so I could carry her easier. I tossed him a grateful look while Eri thought about her answer.

Eri pondered this question for a few minutes as we slowly walked out of the office. "Um… books?"

"Ah, do you like to read?" Izuku asked her.

Eri gave him a small shrug. "I dunno. Nezu-san thought I might like to, though."

"Then let's swing by the library," I said, recalling that the U.A. library—the public access part of it, at least—had a section of children's books. Most of them were about heroes, but there were a few fantastical and science fictions thrown in. "What did you do with Sh—Nezu-sensei today?"

Eri made a _hmm_ sound. "We ate breakfast together and then he took me out shopping with a nice lady, umm… Nemuri-san. I got a lot of new clothes. We went back to that older lady, um… Recovery Girl-san, and she looked me over and then gave me a lollipop. After that it was time for lunch. Then, I had to take some tests. They were hard, but Nezu-san said I did very good and we got to eat cake afterwards. When we were done eating I started to draw, and you came!"

' _When I have a daughter, please let her be half as cute as Eri.'_

The tests were probably to evaluate her education. Given that she was still a target for a criminal organization, sending her to public school—or outside of U.A. period—was begging for disaster. She would need to be privately tutored at U.A.

Nezu would likely design the coursework for her himself, and have—hmm—Nemuri be the one to teach her. Nemuri might be a tad vulgar, but she knew how to behave around small children and she was still an excellent teacher. When Nemuri had to teach her own classes, Aizawa would likely take over.

Still… Eri would need to have social interaction. Ideally with those of her own age, but given her trauma that might be dangerous. Children could be especially cruel without intending to, and it was hard to know what could trigger Eri.

For now the teachers and I—with my friends—would have to suffice.

I said, "Sounds like a busy day."

"It was," she agreed.

I could hear Ochaco's strangled squeal as she (and I) both struggled not to gush about how utterly adorable it was for Eri to say that with a perfectly straight face while nodding her head.

"Can I have five million of you?" I couldn't help but ask, nuzzling her head again.

Shōto coughed—Izuku elbowed him with a grin—while Eri frowned. "There's only one of me, though!"

This made Ochaco and I giggle while Eri looked at the two of us with a perplexed expression.

"What?" she asked, only urging the two of us to giggle even more so.

"It's better not to question when these two start laughing," Izuku advised her. "Better to just be thankful it's not the evil princess laugh."

"Evil princess laugh?" she repeated.

" _Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!_ " I immediately chimed in.

"Oh-HO-HO-HO-HO!" Ochaco added.

"Please, no," Izuku sighed.

Eri frowned for a moment before she smiled and tried out, "Oh-ho-ho-ho?"

"That's it," I said, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."

She blushed a brighter red than strawberries.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Life fell into a pleasant routine for a little over a week. I still occasionally slept with one of my friends during the week, but I found it easier to get through the nights. My night terrors weren't quite so consuming, and I was even able to go back to sleep after them.

But I'd be reminisque not to admit that the highlight of my day was spending time with Eri. Right after class I would hop over and play with her, or read stories to her, or watch a movie with her, and one of my friends would always join in.

I was crazy proud to admit that Eri seemed to enjoy my attention and affection. She really loved sitting in my lap, or having me carry her around.

Although Friday night I had to patrol again with Mirio and Izuku for Sir Nighteye's apprenticeship, and Saturday we were supposed to have an official meeting.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Saturday morning, before the meeting at Sir Nighteye's office, I enjoyed a lovely breakfast with Eri and Shōto over at Aizawa's apartment. Said teacher had to go over some paperwork and run errands, and asked us to watch over Eri while he did so.

Never going to be the one to turn down a chance to dote on Eri, I readily accepted. As it so happened Shōto had been spending the morning with me and offered to tag along.

We headed over, Aizawa grabbed his paperwork and headed off to a coffee shop, or some place quiet and remote. I got started on making pancakes while Eri asked Shōto to read a story to her.

It was—

It was honestly just _such_ a good morning. The kind of morning I wished would never end.

It felt like—well, it felt like we were a family.

We enjoyed breakfast together, watched a movie, and Eri told us _all_ about how she liked her new home.

An honest shame it had to end.

"Oh… I better grab Izu-chan and Ocha-chan and head over," I said, glancing over at the clock. I kissed the top of Eri's head and picked her off my lap before setting her in Shōto's. Eri frowned at my departure, looking up at me with almost puppy-dog eyes.

Sadly, she said, "Okay…"

I bent over and kissed her nose again. "Don't worry little angel, I'll be back before you know it. Sho-chan will take good care of you in the meantime."

"We can watch Wall-E again," he offered her, causing a small smile to curl over her face. "And I may not be as good of a cook as Kiyo-chan, but I'm not bad."

"He actually makes my _favorite_ rice bowls," I told Eri, smiling fondly at Shōto. I reached forward again and gently kissed his forehead. "I'll see you later, Sho-chan."

"See you, Kiyo-chan," he muttered, his cheeks red as Eri giggled in his lap.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

"Ah! Senpai!" I exclaimed upon teleporting Izuku and Ochaco with me to the meeting spot. Mirio tossed us a big thumbs up, his two friends flanking both of his sides.

"Good morning kohais!" Mirio chirped, accepting my immediate hug-tackle that I honestly couldn't resist. He patted me on the back, never losing his brilliant grin. "Glad to see you all could make it."

"Hi, hi, hi!" Hado cheered, the blue-haired senior bouncing in place. "It's great to see you all again! Kiyo-chan, you really like Mirio-kun, huh? Oh, hey I remember you, Midoriya-kun, right? And Ochaco-chan! Hi, hi!"

The bubbly girl hugged Ochaco before rushing over to hug me, as well. It was hard not to find her attitude infectious and sweet. Her questions could come across as odd, or childish, but she meant no disrespect. Hado was simply the definition of curious girl.

 _It'd be nice if she put that enthusiasm into science and research._

That might be asking a bit much, though.

"Ready to head in?" Izuku inquired.

"Yep!" Mirio said, giving him a thumbs up. "Let's head on in."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Stepping inside the building, we were surprised to find it filled with high ranking heroes. Izuku did a double take upon seeing an elderly hero in a yellow and white costume. His eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Grand Torio, what are you doing here?"

While Izuku moved over to address the elderly hero—I vaguely recalled that the old man was All Might's trainer, and had taken Izuku on during the hero internships—I assessed the surroundings. There were dozens of other heroes present, and more than half of them were heroes I didn't recognize.

One in particular caught my attention, though.

"Sensei?" I gaped at Aizawa. "I thought you had paperwork to do."

"I do," he muttered grouchily. "Sir Nighteye asked me to attend. Since it'll only be an hour, I thought I could spare the time."

I made an acknowledging sound at that as I glanced around the conference room. It was massive, very spacious, and had several tables pushed against one another to form an open rectangular space. At the very far end of the gathered tables sat Sir Nighteye, with his two most senior sidekicks standing behind him.

Sir Nighteye, as always, was dressed sharply in dark colors. He had pointy facial features that made him come across as intimidating, or the type of man that rarely smiled. His glasses were impeccably cleaned, and he kept his dark green hair slicked back into a business cut. There were two golden haired bangs tucked inside that hair, though, which reminded me a lot of All Might's hair color.

To Sir Nighteye's right was Bubble Girl, a blue skinned sidekick with messy dark blue hair and big round eyes. Her costume was a matching shade of dark blue, with a crop top that revealed her stomach, and thin leggings. She had a pair of thick white boots that went up to her knees, and a general ditzy demeanor.

To Sir Nighteye's left was Centipeder. From the neck down he looked like an ordinary gentleman, but from the neck above he had the body and head of a centipede. His hundreds of legs wiggled every time he moved, which could sometimes startle clients. Centipeder wasn't in the public eye much because of his striking appearance, preferring to work more behind the scenes. I hadn't run into him much before because of this, but Nezu had mentioned hiring Centipeder as a second instructor for espionage so I knew he was good.

I tried to spot any more heroes that I recognized.

I knew Fat Gum since he was Eijirō's mentor and Eijirō loved to brag on about him. He was a massively round man that reminded me a lot of Totoro from the _Ghibli_ movies. He had such a unique smile, and was so absurdly round. His hero costume was a yellow jacket that he kept the hood pulled up on, black pants, and white boots with shin guards.

As more people started to arrive, I took a seat near the front with Izuku and Ochaco. Eijirō and Tsuyu also showed up—Tsuyu was sharing a mentor with Ochaco and Hado. Tsuyu sat over by Hado, and Eijirō sat right next to Fat Gum.

Aside from them, however, I didn't recognize anyone else attending the meeting.

Once everyone had taken their seats, a screen rolled down behind Sir Nighteye and he began, "The small yakuza organization, The Eightfold Cleanses, what exactly are they plotting? Along with sharing our acquired information, I would like to consult with all of you today."

Bubble Girl cleared her throat and picked up after him. "Since about two weeks prior, we at the Nighteye Offices have been independently observing a certain villain group known as The Eightfold Cleanses."

"What started this investigation?" inquired one of the heroes called forth.

"There was an accident involving a thief gang known as the Reservoir Dogs. The police cleaned everything up as just an accident, but there were many points that made no sense and we began to track them," Bubble Girl explained, glancing over at Centipeder.

"I am a sidekick, Centipeder," said Centipeder, "I have been conducting the trafficking and observation as per the instructions put forth by Sir Nighteye. Within this one-year period that I have been investigating, there has been a rapid increase in contact between members of the underground organization, as well as people outside of the group. They appear to be an organization moving with the intent to expand and accumulate funds. Also, shortly after the commencement of the investigation…"

Before Centipeder could continue with his narrative one of the heroes that I didn't recognize snorted. He gestured rudely over at where we—the students—were currently seated. "I know U.A. is a great school and all, but why do we have a bunch of kids here? They can't contribute."

Fat Gum abruptly stood up from his seat, his cheeks darkening in anger on behalf of his sidekicks. He thrust his right arm toward Eijirō and Amijiki. "How rude! Both of these students are integral witnesses and helped provide a major breakthrough in the case."

Amijiki wilted under the gazes that swung his way and he sunk further into his seat. Eijirō blushed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Huh? I'm not sure what you mean by that."

"Eijirō-kun bravely took on bullets from the villains, and kept them perfectly intact so we could examine them," Fat Gum went on to say, the large hero glaring directly at the other hero who had spoken out. "Because of such we were able to uncover crucial information about its contents—about this dangerous elixir that erases quirks!"

Gasps were heard. One definitely came out of me, and I abruptly turned toward Aizawa. The only one in the world registered with such an ability was Aizawa.

' _Did the villains somehow manage to copy his Quirk?'_ I thought. ' _But if they can copy Quirks, why only use Cactus's?'_

"Yes," Sir Nighteye softly said. "And it was through Kiyomi-san that we were able to conclusively verify its contents."

"Huh?" the confused sound popped out of me, as the gazes now swung toward _me_. My cheeks warmed and I resisted the urge to scoot closer to either Ochaco or Izuku. Through sheer willpower (and experience as a waitress) I kept my hands neatly folded in my lap and offered up the assessing heroes a shy smile.

"Chisaki… has a daughter," Sir Nighteye went on. "She has no birth registration and details about her were unknown. The moment Kiyomi-san found this daughter, Eri-san, she immediately removed her from Chisaki's grasp and brought her to safety. She is currently being watched over by heroes and is heavily protected."

 _Why are they bringing up Eri-chan? They were talking about the contents of the—_

( **No.** )

"Eri-san's blood matches the ingredients found inside the bullets," Sir Nighteye finished.

 _Hell. No._

It was like a spear of hot lava shot straight through my stomach and sliced into my heart. If I wasn't in such a public place I would have snarled at such an answer. I wanted to. I wanted to snap that that simply couldn't be the case. I wanted to howl my rage, and most importantly—

I really wanted to see Eri and make sure she was okay.

Worry and anger circled inside the pit of my stomach. I was furious, but above all else this made me scared.

I knew she had been through trauma, but—

This poor child. This poor soul.

How scared she must have been, how utterly hurt and alone she must have felt. Her supposed father used her as a—

 _(—weapon.)_

 _(—soldier.)_

 _(—_ _ **thing**_ _.)_

—tool. He abused her, hurt her, and made her life such a living hell. He tore off her flesh, drained her blood, and did it _over and over_ again for who knows how many years.

No child deserved that.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to go back to Eri, hug her tight and promise her that I would never let anyone do that to her.

' _Thank God I took her.'_

I didn't even want to consider what might have happened to her if I _didn't_ take her then.

Sir Nighteye went on, "We don't know if he's selling these bullets, or using them for himself. We do know that he needs them for some bigger scheme of his, and he'll be hunting for a chance to take Eri-san back."

( **He won't.** )

"Our objective is simple. With Eri-san in our custody alongside the intact bullets, we have a solid enough ground to move in. We will capture Chisaki and put down The Eightfold Cleansers. We will ensure their criminal activities do not go unpunished."

"That's fine and all, but with the girl now in our hands do you think he'll be easy to pin down?" asked the hero that had previously gestured rudely to us.

"That is definitely part of the issue here," Sir Nighteye agreed. "We don't know how far ahead he's planned. If we don't finish them with one blow, they'll probably get the chance to launch a counter attack. We've looked at groups and organizations that have ties to the precepts as well as all the known locations under the precept's control. We've left no stone unturned coming up with this list. We'd like everyone here to assist in searching each of these locations. Let's find the location and wring it out!"

The gathered heroes sat back in the chair, everyone looking up at the displayed map behind Sir Nighteye. One of the heroes who I also didn't recognize said, "I see, that's how us minor heroes come into play, then. All the heroes here are those familiar with at least one of the listed areas."

Aizawa shifted his posture in his seat across from us. "If I could ask a question? I'm not completely knowledgeable about your abilities, Sir Nighteye, but if you have the ability to see the future then can't you just look ahead and see what our outcome is? At this rate, we may be moving too slow."

"That, I can't do," Sir Nighteye responded severely, expression obscured as he pushed back his glasses. "Once I activate my foresight ability it needs a 24 hour interval before it can be used again. In other words, every day, for one hour, I can see one person's future. And when I do, it's like a series of flashbacks play in my head, frame by frame. Once activated, for an hour's time, I can see the film of an individual's life. However, all of that film is from a perspective that very closely follows the person. All I can see are their actions and their immediate surroundings."

Aizawa's eyes flickered over to me, startling me for a split second before he swung his sight back onto Sir Nighteye. "Is that not more than enough? You should be able to find out quite a bit from that. What do you mean by you _can't_ do it?"

Sir Nighteye fell silent for a moment, his sharp features darkening into a grimace. "For example, if in that person's immediate future I see death. A merciless death awaiting them. What could I do? This Quirk of mine is only supposed to be used when the chances of success have been brought to their highest. It should be used for insurance. When there are too many uncertainties at play it should not be used recklessly."

"I don't really get it," interjected the rude hero, "but you can use the Quirk on me. I promise I'll keep it safe—"

" _No_ ," Sir Nighteye interrupted sternly. "I will not." He stood up from his desk. "Our mission is clear, and I will provide each of you with a mapped area. Let's not waste any more time."

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

Returning home was abrupt. I grabbed Izuku and Ochaco and immediately teleported directly to Eri. To my—our, actually—relief she was still sitting on Shōto's lap and watching a movie. It looked like they had both just finished eating an afternoon snack, and upon noticing me—as I had teleported in front of them—she gave me a dazzling smile.

"Hello!" she said, waving her hand.

I swooped down and picked her up, kissing her nose. "Hello, little angel."

Eri giggled at how my hair tickled her cheek while I kissed her nose.

Ochaco let out a big sigh of relief, while Izuku flopped down on to the couch, also sighing in relief.

"Good meeting?" Shōto inquired, a slight frown marring his face as he looked between all of us. He stood up from the couch, reaching forward and placing a comfortingly warm hand on the small of my back. I leaned into the touch, hugging Eri even tighter.

I didn't want to outright lie to Shōto and call it a good meeting, but we weren't allowed to discuss the case with anyone outside. So I gave him a wobbly smile and said, "How about we all bake a chocolate swiss roll cake, and make some s'more macarons?"

"Yes!" Eri cheered.

Shōto seemed to take the hint, a flicker of worry crossing over his face before it cleared and he gave me one of his sweet, soft smiles. The kind of smiles he kept just for me on bad days.

"Okay," he said.

"I could go for some chocolate," Ochaco said, straightening back up and wandering into the kitchen. "Lots of chocolate."

"Chocolate sounds good," Izuku agreed, following behind her. "Lots and lots of chocolate."

"Yep," I said, nodding firmly. "Chocolate makes everything better."

"Everything?" Eri repeated back.

"Everything," I assured her, kissing her nose again.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Extra (absolutely canon):**

"Darn," Kiyomi said, frowning at the second bowl of egg whites and sugar. "This needs to get whipped up over a double broiler, but I can't find the hand mixer. Izu-chan, use Plus Ultra to whisk this, okay?"

"What?" Izuku squawked, indignant. "I can't—I can't use my Quirk on cooking! That's against the rules."

"Izu-chan if you don't use Plus Ultra to whip this up in a timely manner I'm going to replace all your underwear with lingerie," Kiyomi threatened, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"Oooo." Ochaco looked over a red-faced Izuku with a smirk.

"What's lingerie?" Eri asked Shōto. The cute little girl was on a stepping stool and slowly cutting chocolate on the counter with Shōto's help.

"Izuku-kun's weakness," Shōto explained to her, guiding the knife with gentle patience.

"Ooooo," Eri oo'd as well.

A stammering, red-faced, and upset Izuku grabbed the whisk.

"I'm sorry All Might," he quietly whispered as he began to use his Quirk to make homemade marshmallows.

* * *

◟ **(◕◡◕❀)**

* * *

 **Answer:** Strawberries, sugar, and grain.

 **Question:** If you had to be apart of a military (fantasy / sci-fi military acceptable) what role would you want to be? General? Spy? Ranger?

 **Extra question:** Do you guys like where Kiyomi's power level is at? Do you feel like she should be stronger, weaker?


	21. Eightfold Cleansers

**This is a feel good story first with the main intentions of leaving readers in a happier state of mind at the end of each chapter.**

 **If you are looking for angst / constant character drama this may not be your cup of tea.**

 **Beta:**

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Through a twist of fate Sir Nighteye was able to find the information he needed. Their headquarters was confirmed, and on a day where nearly all of the Eightfold Cleansers would be gathered, were we called to move.

We—Izuku, Ochaco, Tsuyu, Ejirō, and myself—were alerted through a text late into the night. The message warned us to be prepared to move out in the early hours of tomorrow morning, and attached into the message were some maps, blueprints, and pictures.

We gathered in my room—and I locked the door to make sure no one would enter or overhear—and we each went over the layout of the headquarters.

It was an old style Japanese compound that had several sublevels that made up a complex underground facility not registered in public databases. Sir Nighteye's report included sketches of the hallways, and rooms, as well as details on who Sir Nighteye was able to confirm as part of the Eightfold Cleansers.

 **Boss** :

Name: Chisaki Kai - alias Overhaul.

Quirk: Overhaul, the ability to disassemble and then reassemble anything he touches with his bare hands.

Description: Pale man, narrow build, shaggy auburn hair parted to the left, small scar on the left side of his forehead.

 **Member One:**

Name: Nemoto Shin

Quirk: Confession, allows user to force anyone he asks a question to answer truthfully.

Description: Slim man with short-light colored hair.

 **Member Two:**

Name: Katsuukame Rikiya

Quirk: Through physical contact the user can absorb the vitality of others, giving the user more stamina and making the user grow bigger each use.

Description: Tall, muscular—

And so on and so on. Sir Nighteye was able to obtain information on 6/8 of the core members, and it was these that we focused in on. We went over the material over and over _and over_ until our eyes couldn't stay open and our throats were hoarse.

Only when we felt ready, did we allow ourselves to sleep.

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* * *

I got dressed in my hero outfit the following morning, double checking my utility belt was well stocked and my staff was ready to go. Once confirming I was good to go, I sent a quick text message to Shōto.

 **Would you do me a favor and stay with Eri-chan today?**

My phone buzzed back almost instantly with Shōto's response.

 **Sure.**

I let out a soft relief at that. Nezu would be watching over Eri at Aizawa's apartment while we did our raid. I knew Nezu was perfectly capable of taking care of her, but I felt better knowing Shōto would be there, too.

 **Thank you,** I responded back.

 **No worries.**

With my mind at ease, I hopped over to Izuku's room, grabbed him, and did the same for Ochaco before teleporting all three of us outside the compound.

At eight hundred sharp most of the heroes had already arrived—Mirio, Hado, and Amajiki included.

Mirio's hero outfit was certainly traditional, complete with a long red cape. He had a white skin-tight body suit that he wore under yellow shoulder pads, and dark blue pants. He, like most heroes, had boots that acted as shin guards and stretched up to his knees. He completed his hero ensemble with a golden 1000000 stitched across the front of his shirt, and a matching golden visor that protected his eyes. I recalled that his hero name was Lemillion.

Hado's hero outfit reminded me a bit of Ochaco's, but with more blues and spirals. She wore a dark blue skin tight suit with a teal coloring over her chest, abdomen and crotch area. She had a couple of massive teal gauntlets that covered her hands and a pair of thick boots. Her hero name was Nejire-chan.

Lastly of the Big Three was Amajiki. He had a wide, flowing white cloak that he kept the hood pulled up on to help cover his face. He wore a black bodysuit underneath, and dark purple body armor covered in different pockets. He also had a hero mask on, but it didn't do much to protect his face, or conceal his identity. His hero name was Suneater.

With the Big Three there were the other heroes that had gathered—Fat Gum, and Sir Nighteye, for example—and with them was an entire squadron of police dressed in heavy armor and riot shields.

"Saki-chan," Mirio called out upon noticing me. He gave me a big grin and motioned me over by him. "You're with me!"

"Yep, on my way over Lemillion," I said, hurrying over to him—I did wave goodbye to Ochaco and Izuku first, though—and gently bumping my fist against his. "We're gonna kick some butt."

"You know it," he said, pulling me in for a reflexive hug. "Let's head over here to talk. Talk to you both later!"

Hado giggled cutely and wiggled her fingers goodbye. "Goodbye cuties! Come on, Amajiki-kun, let's get into our positions."

Mirio guided me over to a more secluded area—enough that I couldn't hear the voices or conversations of the other heroes and police force. When we reached our destination he took a step back and turned his head toward the compound.

"Any Magi Dust?" Mirio asked me quietly, his gaze fixated on the worn down compound gates that surrounded the estate.

I shook my head, tossing out a humorless smile. "Finally, a villain too poor to buy it."

"Then we'll go with plan D," he told me. "As soon as they issue the warrant, teleport both of us inside to Chisaki."

"Only us two?" I asked, surprised by this. Both of us were only students, after all. Even if we were _good_ students, a student was still a student. At the very least if they were wanting us to move forward and capture Chisaki we should bring along Aizawa, since he was an adult that I could teleport with and ideal for instant takedowns.

Mirio nodded firmly, eyes bright with focus and determination. "Yes. Sir Nighteye is confident the two of us will be able to capture Chisaki quickly and without fuss. Once he is down, we can move to either assist teams or further search the compound depending on the mission status."

In a strictly practical viewpoint it made... a certain amount of sense.

' _No. This is still really weird. We're only students?'_

(No. We're soldiers.)

( _He knows?_ )

I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a moment, thinking about how to voice my skepticism. I wasn't _against_ the idea, because I felt very confident in our abilities, but it was still _odd_.

It bothered me.

( _Does he know?_ )

( _Did he see?_ )

Mirio placed a warm hand on my shoulder, offering me up another one of his smiles. "Don't worry, Saki-chan. We'll succeed, no matter what."

"I'm not worried about losing," I said with a shake of my head, my bubblegum pink hair bouncing at the action. "I don't know... it just seems odd."

Even when I was on my internship with that bumbling hunter Mirko I wasn't left completely alone to patrol. To be left alone with another student on such a vital mission was certainly out of the ordinary. Especially giving those same students the task of bringing down the main target.

Something like that should be given to someone with the most experience.

Someone who knew exactly how to—

(h u n t)

(Hunt-it. Hunt-it. Hunt-it.)

( _Are we hunting? Or is he hunting us?_ )

I didn't finish that line of thought, shaking off the whispers in my head and trying out a confident (wobbly) smile. "Sorry if I made you worry. Let's kick some butt now, okay?"

"It's no issue, don't worry about it, Saki-chan," Mirio assured me.

"Lemillion," I said softly, "when we find _that man_ go straight for a punch. I'll make him double over so aim a bit lower."

Mirio blinked at that before giving me a thumbs up. "Roger!"

Taking a deep breath, I felt my heart still. A sense of calm washed over me, gentle and warm. I placed my hand over my heart, feeling my heartbeat slow down as nerves and anxiety left me. In their place came certainty—familiarity.

Even as a stu—

( _soldier_ )

—dent I had already gained what felt like _enough_ experience to not be nervous. While I still found our roles to be strange, I was not perturbed enough by it to shake me.

Chisaki was simply another prey to capture, another villain to put away.

I had already hunted.

Today would not be any different.

The squadrons of policemen were armed, determined, and resolved. They held themselves with unshakable grit to accomplish what they set out to do.

The heroes that had gathered loosely around them had their backs straight, eyes forward, and emitted auras of earned confidence.

My fellow students were less certain—their eyes roamed around and if I looked more closely I could see beads of sweat forming—but equally determined.

Mirio and I watched this gathering of stubborn souls ready to serve justice. We stood apart from them since we would be relying on my teleportation and thusly did not need to be near the entrance. Hovering too close would only overcrowd and possibly serve as an obstacle for them barging in.

A quarter past eight hundred the warrant officer stepped forward and banged hard on the compound door. We took that as our cue.

I grabbed Mirio's hand and with a _flex_ of my wand we were inside.

I could not directly teleport to someone unless I could see them, or my wand had a certain level of trust towards them. This level of trust was not hard to obtain—as long as I believed they would not do harm to myself I could teleport to them. This was how I was able to teleport to my fellow classmates, as well as Shōto, and Izuku all those years ago. But villains that I _knew_ wanted to kill me?

Yeah, no.

But, Sir Nighteye had provided us with schematics of the compound and that was enough for me to rapidly teleport between each room until—

I saw him.

My lips curled back into a silent snarl, my eyes narrowing with blatant anger the moment I spotted him. Burning anger bubbled inside of me, making my whole body feel uncomfortably hot.

He was tall, lean, had carefully combed hair styled to look messy. He had dark eyes, wore a beak mask, and dressed in a fashion similar to edgy K-Pop stars.

At a glance some might have called him handsome.

I only saw him as repulsive slug.

This was a man who tortured Eri.

Who _literally_ ripped her apart and put her back together again for years.

( _Monster._ )

Such a creature—I couldn't even allow myself to think of it as human anymore—truly was the epitome of scum. It wouldn't—couldn't—understand the pain of others, solely focusing on its selfish desires and wants.

On its selfish desire to live.

( _Take it away._ )

(Even if we peeled back its skin bit by bit and burned off its limbs s-l-o-w-l-y it still wouldn't understand.)

Incomprehensible scum.

I flexed my wand, and I did something rather cruel.

I grew a bubble inside of its—his—knee cap, made it pop, and watched him double over and howl with pain. In the same instant Mirio used his Quirk to spring himself forward toward the slug with speed that would make it difficult to dodge even without a busted kneecap.

Mirio, who had already anticipated I would make him bend over, dug his fist hard into its face and sent it flying across the room where it crashed into a wall.

A bubble grew in the palm of each of its hands, bursting forth from the flesh.

He grunted from the pain, pushing himself up even as his right leg was twisted in an unseemingly manner.

Disabling villains was always a bit of a touchy subject. Force was universally accepted, but permanent disabling was generally frowned upon. With a busted knee cap, it would require surgery but after a few months of physical rehabilitation it would be fine again. Same for its hands.

As much as I wanted to give him a taste of what Eri had went through, it wouldn't do anyone any good if I got myself in trouble because I lost my temper.

( _It's lucky we didn't come alone._ )

"Move and I pop the other knee," I coolly warned it. It stilled, dark eyes assessing me with cold rage.

Mirio pulled out a pair of handcuffs and started to move toward it, but I stopped him by placing a hand on his arm.

"He might have something up his sleeve. Let me check him with my bubbles," I advised Mirio, conjuring two bubbles and transforming them into hands. It didn't take long to do a pat down—and pull out several weapons in the process. When that was finished, Mirio handcuffed him with the Quirk-repressing handcuffs.

"Nice, Saki-chan!" Mirio praised me. "That ended up being way easier than I thought. I didn't know you could do that with your Quirk."

"It's not exactly something I can show off in spars," I pointed out.

Not to mention it was still risky. Accidentally popping an artery would be lethal. I only felt comfortable using it in areas with lower risk—hands, knees, pelvis, feet, and shoulders. They were targets easier to hit, and restricted enough mobility.

Maybe if I got enough practice and control over it I could pop small targets like the inner ear drum.

But that likely wouldn't happen for a while. There was a greater risk of accidentally killing them when using my bubbles to pop inside rather than simply using my bubbles as melee weapons and beating them down. I had perfect control over my body and where my weapons would dig in, after all.

Mirio nodded at that, "Yeah, definitely something you shouldn't use against your allies."

As an extra precaution I rendered Chisaki unconscious while Mirio radioed in. Our initial plan would be to further investigate the compound, but if a team required assistance we would immediately head over to them.

Sir Nighteye responded back with, "All is well so far, continue with the investigation."

I glanced down at the unconscious villain and wondered if maybe I should go ahead and dislocate his other knee to make sure he couldn't get away.

I decided against such actions since he was already handcuffed, had one blown out knee, and was bleeding enough to slow him down if he even woke up.

"Well," Mirio said, clapping his hands together. "Time for detective work. Got your magnifying glass, Saki-chan?"

"Yes, along with my detective cap," I deadpanned, summoning one of my bubbles to create a sort of claw-like mechanism to carry the unconscious leader around while we worked.

"Excellent," Mirio praised me, peering around the wide underground room. There were two options to go, one to our left and the other to our right. "Now which way to go?"

"Right. Left looks like it leads up, so it probably leads out. Right looks like it leads down, so it'll likely take us further in," I answered, gesturing toward the door at the far right side.

"Right it is!"

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 **(Checking in with Eri & Shōto)**

Eri reached forward and poked Shōto's cheek.

She had come to realize something about the nice boy.

He always fell asleep watching movies!

And to make matters more strange, he didn't seem to even realize he was doing it. When Eri put in her new favorite movie— _Howl's Moving Castle_ —she hurried over to take a seat beside Shōto, only to find him already passed out and snoring quietly. His head was tilted back on the couch, and he was completely oblivious to when Eri would try to gently shake him awake.

But the instant the credits started rolling he would snap his head back up, blink once, then ask Eri if she wanted to watch another one.

' _How does he do it?'_ Eri wondered, poking his cheek while _Spirited Away_ played on the television.

And sure enough when _Spirited Away_ finished his head snapped back up, he blinked once, and then asked if Eri wanted lunch.

Uncanny!

"Eri-chan?" Shōto inquired again, tilting his head as he looked down at the small girl who sat next to him on the couch. "Do you want lunch?"

Eri nodded slowly, still peering up at him. "Are you sleepy?"

"No," Shōto answered honestly. "Why? Would you like to take a nap?"

"Do you remember what happened in the movie?" Eri asked him next.

"Of course," Shōto answered. "I've seen _Spirited Away_ a dozen times with Kiyo-chan."

Eri frowned briefly at that. She guessed he must have stayed awake at least _once_ then. "Is there a movie you _haven't_ seen?"

"Hmm." Shōto glanced over at the stack of movies Kiyomi had set aside in her room for Eri to watch. After she had texted him that morning he headed over to her dorm room to grab the movies, and already found them stacked up on her desk with a note that read: _For Eri._

There was also a couple of hand written recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Shōto reached across the gray couch to the dark wooden end table beside it and sorted through the movies. He came across _Mary and the Witch's Flower_ , which was one of the newer movies that he had not yet seen. He handed it over to Eri and said, "I haven't seen this one."

"Then we'll watch it at lunch," Eri said firmly, her cute high-pitched voice oddly stern.

' _Let's see if you sleep through this!'_

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 **(Kiyomi)**

The compound wasn't well tended to and worn down. The floorboards creaked with every other step, and the paint on the walls was chipped and peeling. This underground maze beneath the compound had a nasty smell to it; an unnaturally wet combination of something sweet, musty, and coppery. To top it all off it was poorly lit, with some lights straight up going out entirely when Mirio and I stepped down the hallway.

Given the state of it, and the nature of these villains, I was genuinely surprised that there weren't bloodstains everywhere.

Jerks who torture children would probably proudly diplay those gruesome marks.

Which lead me to believe that the hallways Mirio and I traveled down were the ones more commonly used, or certainly not the ones used prisoners would be dragged through.

From Sir Nighteye's observation we knew that the Eightfold Cleansers were wanting to eradicate Quirks from society. The motivations were unclear—what could be understood by an insane sadist who tore apart an innocent child?—and their backers even less so.

There was _some_ hint that the League of Villains—the group that attacked U.A., and kidnapped Katsuki and myself—had come to an agreement with the Eightfold Cleansers but nothing concrete was provided.

Ideally, Mirio and I would stumble upon a room filled with evidence to tie the two groups together and provide a list of names in each group.

Obviously that wouldn't happen, but there was a solid chance _some_ information could be gleaned from this hellish dungeon.

So we quietly explored each room we came across. We took pictures with the camera Mirio had brought, and if we found anything we would bring it with us.

Under normal circumstances we would leave evidence exactly where it was, but given the nature of these villains and their tendency to destroy evidence they come across in their attempts to escape, Sir Nighteye and the others decided it was best to bag and bring evidence along.

Still, there was proper protocol to follow. We had to take a picture of the evidence where it was, use gloved hands to deposit it in an evidence bag, seal it, then tape off the room and sign off on the tape.

If something was too big, or too valuable to carry around, I would teleport it straight to Sir Nighteye's office.

It should go without saying that all of this went out the window if Mirio and I came across any other prisoners, or hostages. Then _they_ would be our absolute priority to escort safely out of the compound and into an ambulance with police escorts.

We moved down the halls, examining one room at a time. Nothing of note came across us until we found the jackpot room.

I brushed back my hair behind my ear as Mirio rather handily jimmied a lock on another found room.

"Honestly didn't pick you for a lockpicker," I idly commented.

"Honestly don't know how I know to do this," he cheerfully admitted.

"I understand," I said with a nod.

Mirio slowly opened the door, sticking his head in and looking around. "Hey! We found the computer room."

"We're awesome," I said, holding up my hand for Mirio's expected high five—it came barely a second later. Stepping inside, and looking around, I determined it was indeed the computer room. There were monitors set up that looked like they were hooked into the security system. There were at least a dozen or so monitors lined up on the back wall, with only half of them turned on. There were computers and servers shoved to the side, and the cables—like the dungeon—were an absolute mess.

"Take it all?" Mirio asked me.

"Um..." I scratched my cheek. "I don't know. If we unplug willy-nilly we might trigger a failsafe. This might be a good room to just patrol around until they finish detaining the rest of the villains."

"Good point."

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 **(Returning to Eri & Shōto)**

Eri munched happily on her teriyaki chicken that Shōto had made for her per Kiyomi's recipe. The movie was unsurprisingly very good, and she was pleased that Shōto was at least awake while he was eating. Eri sat on the living room floor, the bowl of chicken covered in yummy sauce sitting on a bed of rice resting in her lap as she ate.

When she finished her bowl she turned head to look over at Shōto to see if he was done eating, too.

He was indeed done eating.

And he was also once again passed out and snoring.

' _How?'_

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 **I will be publishing my entire original story for free on wattpad** over the course of a few months. The chapters will be uploaded weekly every Saturday, and I would so, so, SO appreciate any support that can be given for this.

It can be found on my wattpad account, the story is called _Dawn of the Rose._

www DOT wattpad DOT com / 781573460-dawn-of-the-rose-prologue

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Originally wanted to fit the entire arc in this chapter, but had writer's block for the second half. I'm sorry.

 **Answer:** Fantasy ranger, pls.

 **Question:** Weapon of choice?

Reviews are **love**!


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